Kildare - 1-15, Derry - 1-11: Kildare's performance, described by Mick O'Dwyer as "marvellous, with a certain Kerry flavour" could be deemed un-league like and out of season. The pace and flare generated by the home side clearly belonged to the summer while Derry's offering was strictly a February showing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd at Newbridge.
Derry manager Eamonn Coleman considered it a win for fitness. "We were short on pace and endurance and the reason is simple. Micko told me that he has had his squad in training since well before Christmas - we didn't start until January."
O'Dwyer's rare mention of Kerry when drawing the comparison between his team's style and that of his native county largely related to the excellent long-range points that Kildare players - most notably his son Karl - struck in this instance.
The manager's son gave a text-book display in this department, contributing 10 brilliant points, eight from frees out of his hands from as far as 50 yards.
The pattern for the most part was very much of a nip-and-tuck nature with both teams enjoying ascendancy in turn. But when the serious questions were asked in the energy-sapping closing quarter, Derry's inability to stay the distance clearly betrayed them.
The home crowd were then treated to a flurry of high-quality scores. Kildare had been holding on to a one-point lead but for the previous 13 minutes they had failed to score despite enjoying the benefits of inspiring midfield displays by Killian Brennan and late call-up Alan Harris. Anthony Rainbow and Ken Doyle, from the back, were also putting severe pressure on Derry's cover.
It was with little wonder that the roar to greet Tadgh Fennin's 63rd- minute point for a two-point gap was deafening. Rapid points from O'Dwyer, Derek McCormack and substitute Kenny Duane reflected Kildare's grandstand finish and left Derry resigned to defeat.
Coleman had reason to rue the continued absence of Anthony Tohill who is recovering from a knee operation. Furthermore, the left flank of the attack was weakened as Paul McFlynn had gone down with flu and Paddy Bradley was injured in a Sigerson Cup match.
John Doyle, a trojan worker in the Kildare attack, not surprisingly took advantage of a mishap in the Derry defence to score the home side's second-quarter goal. Fennin knocked the ball into Doyle's path and with Derry goalkeeper Brian Scullion off his line, the task of slotting home was made easier.
That goal gave Kildare a 1-3 to 0-3 advantage despite the fact that they were two points down after four minutes of early Derry dominance during which Geoffrey McGonigle was the obvious target man in all of the Ulster county's attacks.
McGonigle was involved in most of Derry's scores not least their goal on the half hour. The Dungiven man left Ronan Quinn for dead with a deft dummy on the right but his shot came back off the bar and Padraig O'Neill was on hand to finish to the net.
Derry trailed by a single point at half-time, 1-7 to 1-6, but within two minutes of the restart they were ahead with pointed frees by McGonigle and Gavin Diamond.
Kildare's possession rate became more pronounced as the second half wore on but John McBride's long-range points and Kildare's failure to make their dominance count allowed Derry to remain in contention until the home attack resumed scoring to telling effect.
KILDARE: E Murphy; C Davey, R Quinn, K Doyle; T Harris, A Rainbow, M Wright; K Brennan, A Harris; D McCormack (0-2), K O'Dwyer (0-10, eight frees), J Doyle (1-0); C O'Reilly, L Donlon (0-1), T Fennin (0-1). Subs: P Mullarkey for Davey (45 mins), K Duane (0-1) for Wright (56 mins), E McCormack for O'Reilly (60 mins).
DERRY: B Scullion; D O'Neill, S M Lockhart, P Carton; K McNally, G Coleman, F Crossan; F Doherty D Heaney; J Niblock (0-1), D Dougan (0-1), J McBride (0-2, one free); P O'Neill (1-0), G McGonigle (0-4, one free), G Diamond (0-3, one free). Subs: B Mullan for Carton (20 mins), P Murphy for Heaney (58 mins).
Referee: B White (Wexford).
