Derry's 2-17 to 3-9 win over Kildare at Celtic Park means Jason Ryan's charges have been relegated to Division Two.

The victory also assures Brian McIver's in-form Derry team of a place in the semi-finals of the league.

The winners led by 1-7 to 1-3 at the break, with Caolan O'Boyle crashing the ball to the net in the seventh minute after Emmett McGuckin and Mark Lynch had pointed the first two scores of the match: 1-2 to no score.

Lynch stretched the gap but the visitors handed themselves a potential lifeline when Keith Cribbin fisted to the net for their opening score on 14 minutes, 1-3 to 1-0.

O'Boyle, Enda Lynn and McGuckin lofted over three more Oak Leaf points to double their lead. Cribbin and Fionn Dowling replied and Benny Heron converted a '45' before Kildare's Hugh Lynch closed the first-half scoring.

Lynch (free) and Ciaran McFaul got Derry off to an encouraging start to the second half and the former's goal on 39 minutes made it 2-9 to 1-3. Game over.

Heron, O'Boyle, Lynn and Lynch added more scores for the rampant hosts.

Johnny Doyle pointed within a minute of coming off the bench for his 153rd league / championship appearance for the Short Grass County and the Lilywhites finished the game strongly with goals from Eamonn Callaghan and Tommy Moolick.

But Derry had long since eased up, safe in the knowledge that their day's work was done.

Derry - T Mallon; G McKinless, C McKaigue, D McBride; K Johnston, G O'Kane, SL McGoldrick (0-1); F Doherty, P Bradley; C McFaul (0-1), M Lynch (1-6), E Lynn (0-2); B Heron (0-2), E McGuckin (0-2), C O'Boyle (1-2). Subs: J Kielt for F Doherty, A Devlin for J Kielt, A McAlynn for G McKinless, C Kielt (0-1) for K Johnston, C McGoldrick for C O'Boyle, O Duffy for D McBride.

Kildare - S Connolly; M O'Grady, M Foley, D Hyland; H McGrillen, G White, K Cribbin (1-1); T Moolick (1-2), H Lynch (0-1); C McNally, M Conway (0-1), E O'Flaherty; P Brophy, T O'Connor, D Mulhall. Subs: F Dowling (0-2) for D Mulhall, N Kelly for E O'Flaherty, P O'Neill (0-1) for M Conway, P Kelly for G White, J Doyle (0-1) for T O'Connor, E Callaghan (1-0) for K Cribbin.

Referee - P Hughes. Tweet

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