FL2: Kildare's goals sink Erne men

March 05, 2017

Kildare's Tommy Moolick.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

Kildare 4-14
Fermanagh 0-14

Kildare returned to winning ways in Division 2 this afternoon with an impressive 12-point victory over Fermanagh in Newbridge.

First-half goals from Tommy Moolick (2) and Chris Healy paved the path for Cian O'Neill's men, having fallen three points behind early on, as they carried in a comfortable six-point lead at the break.

Fermanagh, who had Ryan Jones red-carded late on, couldn't make ground on their arrears after the restart and were put of sight once Daniel Flynn buried in the victors' fourth six minutes into the second-half, pushing them nine adrift.

The Ernesiders had made a purposeful start to this round four contest, registering the first three points through Tomas Corrigan's free and a brace from Barry Mulrone inside the opening six minutes.

Daniel Flynn had Kildare off the mark two minutes later prior to Michael Jones restoring the three-point lead for Fermanagh, which would be wiped out once Neil Flynn's free was followed by Moolick palming home his first goal off the back of a brilliant move by the Lilywhites.

Ryan Jones tied things up on the quarter hour mark but the hosts went on a rampage for the next 10 minutes, with goals from Moolick and Healy all but putting the game beyond salvage for Pete McGrath's side.

Healy's major in the 23rd minute came via some quick thinking from Neil Flynn over a placed ball and the former struck brilliantly past Chris Snow in the Fermanagh goal, ushering the home side 10 in front.

Sean Quigley (free), Mulrone and Eoin Donnelly hit points for the visitors in the closing minutes of the half and they would have had a goal if Mark Donnellan hadn't tipped over Aidan Breen's rocket shot, as Kildare took in the 3-6 to 0-9 lead.

Neil Flynn (2 frees) and Fionn Dowling stretched their side's advantage to nine within five minutes of the restart and the game would be over as a contest once Daniel Flynn snuck in for a fourth Kildare goal, which marked their ninth of the campaign. 

Dowling and Paul Cribbin added points prior to a brace from Conor Hartley as the Erne men's challenge fizzed out in the closing quarter, with a couple of Corrigan frees helping bring their total to 0-14 before they lost Jones to a late red card on what was a forgettable afternoon for the visitors.

Kildare - M Donnellan; M O'Grady, D Hyland, O Lyons; J Byrne, E Doyle, K Cribbin; K Feely (0-1), T Moolick (2-0); F Conway (0-1), N Kelly (0-1), P Cribbin (0-1); N Flynn (0-4, 2f), D Flynn (1-1), C Healy (1-1). Subs: F Dowling (0-2) for K Feely, C McNally for D Flynn, E Heavey (0-1) for P Cribbin, C Hartley (0-1) for N Kelly, P Kelly for J Byrne, E Callaghan for N Flynn.

Fermanagh - C Snow; M Jones (0-1), C Cullen, J McMahon; D McCusker, R McCluskey, B Mulrone (0-4); E Donnelly (0-1), L Cullen; P McCusker, R Jones (0-2, 1f), A Breen (0-1); T Corrigan (0-2), S Quigley (0-2f), E Courtney. Subs: R Hyde for L Cullen, C McManus for R McCluskey, R Lyons (0-1) for P McCusker, T McCaffrey for E Courtney.

Referee - P O'Sullivan.


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