GAA – SFC Kildare 0-19 Derry 0-13:With each passing game, and particularly in the qualifiers under Kieran McGeeney, this Kildare team just keeps on giving. Today at headquarters was no different as they were able to ease off towards the end and coast to victory against Derry.
McGeeney has an uncanny knack of getting the tactics right in qualifier situations, but also has every one of his players playing for him and that makes the Lilywhites a potent force.
On today’s performance at Croke Park they are deserving of their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, yet it’s a place they feel they should be.
“It was tough going for a long time and maybe the intensity died down in the last 10 minutes but it was just a matter of seeing out the game,” said James Kavanagh, who added 0-04 to the Kildare cause.
“We’re happy enough but we know if we’re to progress further we’re going to have to up the tempo a lot more.
“It’s great that everyone is scoring, you don’t want be over reliant on the one player. So yeah we’re happy with that.
There was no doubt Kildare were the dominant side in today’s curtain-raiser at Croker – Cork take on Down from 6pm in the repeat of last year’s final – but Derry proved sticky opponents.
The sides were level on six different occasions in the opening half before Kildare went in 0-11 to 0-08 ahead.
Declan Mullan was on target for Derry and Enda Muldoon had a goal disallowed for a square ball.
In response Kildare captain John Doyle landed four frees while Kavanagh was impressive in a superior attacking line.
As for the unbeaten run in the qualifiers under McGeeney, Kavanagh played down the feat and said it was simply a case of Kildare now being where they should have been.
“Yeah, it’s great stuff but we’re only back to where we would have been had we won in Leinster. We’re happy to be back in the quarter-final.”
In Portlaoise there was high drama at the death as Limerick pulled off a famous win, but one that is sure to get chins wagging in the coming days.
As the final whistle approached Wexford looked to have the game won. However Limerick substitute Eoghan O’Connor kept his composure to score a last gasp goal and level the game.
When a replay looked on the cards there was further drama with indecision between the two goal-line umpires.
Ian Ryan won a free for Limerick and took it himself only for one umpire to wave his flag and the other to keep it on the ground. Referee Derek Fahy later made the call and gave the point to give Limerick a famous win, 1-18 to 1-17.
Elsewhere Tyrone had to dig deep to deny their neighbours Armagh in tonight’s Round Three qualifier at Healy Park in Omagh to set up next week’s clash with Roscommon for a place in the last eight.
Mickey Harte’s side took their time to get a hold on this match but when they nosed ahead they had enough experience to see out the win, 2-13 to 0-13.
Tyrone’s goals came from Joe McMahon in the first half with Tommy McGuigan also finding the net.
All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers
Round Four
Limerick 1-18 Wexford 1-17
Down 0-14 Cork 2-20
Kildare 0-19 Derry 0-13
Round Three
Tyrone 2-13 Armagh 0-13