Kerry 2-10
Kildare 0-7

by Dan Kearney

Siofra O’Shea struck for 1-4 and Danielle O’Leary for 1-3 as Kerry had too much power for a Kildare side that kept trying to the end in an entertaining game at Fitzgerald Stadium in Division One of the Lidl National Football League.

In a low scoring first half it was the home side that ruled the roost as they took a three-point lead, 1-3 to 0-3, into the dressing room at half-time.

Kildare weren’t helped by four wides and two shots off the post in the opening period that appeared to take the wind out of their sails on a perfect day for football.

It was Kerry that got off to the brighter start with O’Shea slotting a free in the second minute and Mary O’Connell following up with a point from play five minutes later.

Then came Kerry’s goal in the 10th minute. A brilliant ball from Niamh Carmody found Anna Galvin whose shot was originally blocked by the retreating Neasa Dooley, but O’Leary was on hand to smash the ball to the back of Mary Hulgraine’s net.

Dooley was proving to be Kildare’s most impressive performer and she slotted a brilliant individual point in the 19th minute off her left to get the Lilywhites off the mark, but Kerry’s danger woman O’Leary replied with a point straight afterwards.

Dooley sliced over a brilliant free off her right and after O’Connell spurned a goal chance for Kerry, Lara Curran popped over a lovely score for the visitors, the last score of the half, but it was Kerry that took in a 1-3 to 0-3 lead at the half time whistle.

Kerry were well on top in the second half as they outscored the visitors by 1-6 to 0-4 with O’Shea’s goal in the 38th minute that put Kerry 2-6 to 0-4 ahead a major factor in the outcome.

O’Leary’s ’45 fell into O’Shea’s hands and the full-forward was on hand to finish low and hard past Hulgraine, her third goal in as many games.

Both sides rang the changes in the last quarter but despite a couple of Dooley specials, it was the Kingdom that made it two wins out of three games in this year’s league.

Scorers: Kerry: Siofra O’Shea 1-5, 4f ,D O’Leary 1-3, M O’Connell 0-1, C Evans 0-1.

Kildare: N Dooley 0-5 (0-1f), L Curran 0-1, R Byrne 0-1f

KERRY: M.E. Bolger; E Lynch, D Kearney, R Rahilly; K Cronin, C Evans, C McCarthy; A Dillane, M O’Connell; L Boyle, N Carmody, A Galvin (c); J Lucey, S O’Shea, D O’Leary. Subs: N Ní Chonchuir for Boyle (28), R Dwyer for Lucey (44), J Curtin for O’Leary (55), N Broderick for Carmody (55), N Quinn for Evans (57), K O’Connor for Rahilly (60).

KILDARE: M Hulgraine; R Sargent, L Murtagh, E Wheeler; M Doherty, L Lenehan, M Aspel; C Sullivan, L Curran; C Moran, G Wheeler, L Shaw; L Doran, L McGovern , R Byrne. Subs: E Dowling for McGovern (39), S Galvin for Curran (44), L Doran for Shaw (44), E B Foley for Wheeler (48), Z Brierty for Sullivan (57), E O’Toole for Moran (60).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).

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