Kildare kick on to claim title

Kildare 0-16 Tyrone 0-11:A flurry of points in the closing 10 minutes was enough to secure Kildare their first piece of silverware in a dozen years as they ran out 0-16 to 0-11 winners over Tyrone in the NFL Division Two final at Croke Park. With a strong wind at their backs, they cracked open a game that had been level at 0-10 apiece on 60 minutes and went on to completely dominate the closing period.

The introduction of substitute Pádraig Fogarty was especially significant, as he chipped in with three points of his own as well as causing huge discomfort in the Tyrone defence.

A banal enough first half was notable mostly for the length of it. Tyrone corner back Aidan McCrory bravely saved a certain goal by throwing himself at a hopping ball on his own goal-line and landed awkwardly in a tangle with Kildare full-forward Tomás O’Connor. It led to a stoppage of over 10 minutes that meant the half-time whistle went with the clock showing 48:37. The scoreboard read 0-7 to 0-6 in Kildare’s favour at the time, a fair reflection of what had been humdrum fare up to that point.

When Owen Mulligan began the second half with a couple of pointed frees, it got Tyrone’s noses back in front but as long as Kildare had the wind, it was clear they were unlikely to allow Tyrone to get too far ahead. And so it proved. Fogarty kicked a fine point within four minutes of his entrance to the pitch and when he got his second 12 minutes later, it moved Kildare 0-11 to 0-10 ahead. From there, they were never headed.

Points from Fogarty, Eamon O’Callaghan, Eoghan O’Flaherty and a soaring sideline ball from Johnny Doyle put clear water between the sides. All Tyrone could manage in reply was a Stephen O’Neill free in injury-time with the game gone out of their reach.

Kildare:S Connolly; P Kelly, H McGrillen, O Lyons; E Bolton, M O'Flaherty, E O'Callaghan (0-1); M Foley, P O'Neill; E O'Flaherty (0-3, all frees), M Conway (0-5, 0-4 frees), J Doyle (0-2, 0-1 sideline); A Smith, T O'Connor (0-1), J Kavanagh (0-1). Subs:P Fogarty (0-3) for Smith, 47 mins

Tyrone:J Curran; A McCrory, C Gormley, PJ Quinn; C McCarron, P Harte, D McCaul; A Cassidy, C Cavanagh; R McNabb, M Donnelly (0-2), S Cavanagh (0-1); O Mulligan (0-4, 0-3 free), N McKenna (0-1), Stephen O'Neill (0-3, all frees). Subs:Joe McMahon for McCrory, 33 mins; M Murphy for C Cavanagh (temp), 36-46 mins; Sean O'Neill for MCCaul, 63 mins; M Penrose for McKenna, 68 mins; M Murphy for C Cavanagh, 69 mins

Referee:D Coldrick (Meath)