Kildare push Kerry all the way to earn draw
Mighty second half display from Glenn Rynn's men
Kildare collected a well-deserved point in the opening game in the AFL, Division 1, when holding Kerry to draw at St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, this afternoone; in fact such was the dominance of Kildare in the second half that it looked like Kerry were more relieved that the home side to her the final whistle.
In a rip-roaring game before a full house in Newbridge Kildare trailed at half by four points, 1-7 to 0-6, Kerry getting a somewhat sloppy goal after five minutes, Killian Spillane poking the ball to the net.
Kildare never flinched and while they trailed by four, they were still in showing tremendous appetite, courage and work-rate.
The second half saw Kerry get the opening point befor Kildare took control reducing the gap to three, before Kerry stretched it back to four on 58 minutes.
However The Lilies came stroming back with two points from Paddy Woodgate and two from Jimmy Hyland, the leveler from Hyland after a brilliant move involving Daniel Flynn and Paul Cribbin saw the Kildare man fouled and Hyland did the rest.
A tense last few minutes before the final the final whistle arrived, and a well-deserved draw for Kildare.'
Final score: Kildare 0-13 Kerry 1-10.
Scorers: Kildare, Jimmy Hyland 0-6 (3 frees), Paddy Woodgate 0-3 (1 free), Paul Cribbin 0-2, Kevin Flynn 0-2.
Kerry, Sean O'Shea 0-3 (2 frees), Killian Spillane 1-0, David Clifford 0-2, Paudie Clifford 0-2, Tom O'Sullivan 0-1, Paul Geaney 0-1, Tony Brosnan 0-1.
KILDARE: Mark Donnellan; Mick O'Grady cpt, Shea Ryan, Ryan Houlihan; Jack Sargent, James Murray, Tony Archbold; Kevin O'Callaghan, Kevin Flynn; Padraic Tuohy, Paul Cribbin, Ben McCormack; Paddy Woodgate, Daniel Flynn, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Kevin Feely for Kevin O'Callaghan (half time); Neil Flynn for Ben McCormack (half time); Paddy McDermott for Padraic Tuohy (52 minutes).
KERRY: Shane Murphy; Dan O'Donoghue, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan; Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Sean O'Shea cpt., Adrian Spillane; Micheal Burns, Paudie Clifford, Dara Moynihan; Killian Spillane, David Cloffird, Paul Gainey. Subs: Brian Ó Beaglalíoch for Gavin White (27 minutes); Jack Savage for Michael Burns (half time); Tony Brosnan for Killian Spillane (47 minutes); Greg Horan for Dara Moynihan (51 minutes).
REFEREE: Dvid Coldrickd, Meath.