NFL Division One B/ Kildare 0-10 Derry 0-7: Kildare played better against the wind to keep their unbeaten league record intact at Newbridge yesterday.

Derry will point to a number of absentees, including full forward Paddy Bradley, who was a late omission because of a hamstring injury.

Kildare had to field without the services of Dermot Earley, who has a foot injury, not to mention the recently married Andrew McLoughlin and the Moorefield contingent, including Ronan Sweeney and Kevin O'Neill, who lost the All-Ireland club semi-final on Saturday.

Kildare had the wind advantage for the opening half and used it well in the early stages. They went into a two-point lead with the scores coming from Pádraig O'Neill.

Conleth Gilligan got Derry's opening score from a placed ball in the fifth minute and, although Johnny Doyle restored the two-point advantage for the home side, Derry remained in touch.

Derry closed the gap to a point thanks to Gilligan's second successful free and the sides were tied for the first time when he pointed again from a free.

Kildare went in at the half-time break leading by 0-5 to 0-4 when Johnny Doyle pointed a late free, but Derry must have been a little happier with their performance.

Doyle and Gilligan exchanged points from placed balls after the interval, but the visitors hit a bagful of wides on the trot before Mark Lynch eventually found the target in the 47th minute.

Two minutes later, Derry went ahead through Enda Muldoon, but that was to be their last score.They were forced to defend in depth and bring players back behind the ball as Kildare came forward in waves.

Both sides saw goal chances wasted before O'Neill tied up the game again. Then substitute James Kavanagh gave Kildare a lead they didn't lose again.

The rest of the game effectively belonged to Kildare and the home side finished stronger with two more scores from Doyle.

KILDARE: E Murphy; E Callaghan, D Lyons, E Bolton; A Rainbow, M Hogarty, M Scanlon (0-1); K Brennan, W Heffernan; D McCormack, J Doyle (0-5, three frees, one sideline), B Flanagan; P O'Neill (0-2), T O'Connor, M Donnelly (0-1). Subs: K Donnelly for Heffernan; J Kavanagh (0-1)for McCormack; P Ennis for M Donnelly; T Archbold for O'Connor.

DERRY: S O'Kane; K McGuckin, K McCloy, J Keenan; P Cartin, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane; F Doherty, J Conway; P Bradley, C Gilligan (0-4, frees), M Lynch (0-1); R Wilkinson, R Murray, E Muldoon (0-2). Subs: L Hinphey for G O'Kane; M McGoldrick for Murray; E Lynn for Bradley.

Referee: P Fox(Westmeath).