Sport

Strong start by Kildare

LEINSTER MFC FIRST ROUND: THE LEINSTER championship began on Saturday evening with six matches in the province.

Mon Apr 19 2010 - 01:00

LEINSTER MFC FIRST ROUND:THE LEINSTER championship began on Saturday evening with six matches in the province.

Wonderful performances by John Comerford and Kevin Feely were the key features of Kildare's 2-10 to 1-9 defeat of Dublin in the first round of the Leinster championship at Newbridge on Saturday.

Dublin produced a strong second-half fight-back, but they struggled to cope with the tackling of the powerful Kildare players.

Meanwhile, two goals by corner-forward Shane O'Rourke and Michael Mangan underpinned Wicklow's seven-point (2-13 to 1-9) win over Wexford at Aughrim. It was sweet revenge for the defeat inflicted on them by Wexford in the league less than a month ago.

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Inspired by midfielder John Heslin, Westmeath were 1-12 to 0-6 winners over Carlow at Dr Cullen Park.

The St Loman's clubman gave an exhibition of clean fielding while his distribution to colleagues was also of the highest order.

Two goals in as many minutes early in the second half propelled Laois to a 5-9 to 0-14 win over Louth in Drogheda on Saturday.

Full forward Daryl Hayden shot to the net in the 37th minute and that goal was quickly added to by Damian O'Connor to put Laois on their way to a home quarter-final.

And it was one-way traffic in O'Connor Park on Saturday as Offaly waltzed to an easy 2-19 to 0-3 win over Longford.

Finally, Meath claimed a 44-point (6-26 to no score) victory over Kilkenny in a farcical match at Páirc Tailteann.

SCORERS

Kildare: K Feely 1-3 (goal from pen); F Dowling 1-0; P Cocoman, S Hurley (frees) 0-2 each; P Cribbin, C Murphy, P Fogarty 0-1 each. Dublin: C Kilkenny 1-7 (goal from, 0-5 from frees); F Duffy, A Caffrey 0-1 each.

Wicklow: S Carthy 1-4; M Mangan 1-0; C McGraynor 0-3; A Ó Murchu, P O'Rourke 0-2 each; M O'Brien, J Henderson 0-1 each. Wexford: J Bealin 1-2; S Ring 0-3; G Cullen 0-2; P O'Leary, G Murphy 0-1 each.

Westmeath: J Heslin 1-3 (points from frees); D Fagan 0-4 (one free); K Reilly 0-3; D McCormack, D Ruane 0-1 each. Carlow: C Kehoe 0-4 (three frees); M Fitzgerald, D Roberts 0-1 each.

Laois: D O'Connor, D Hayden 2-1 each; A Ryan 0-3; D Byrne 1-0; J Farrell, P Kingston (two frees) 0-2 each. Louth: D Grimes 0-6 (all frees); A Quigley 0-3 (two frees); T McKenna, M Keane, S Donnelly, P Clarke, A Lynch (free) 0-1 each.

Offaly: N Graham (one free), S Cullen (one free) 0-4 each; P Cunningham 0-3; P McPadden 1-2 (goal from pen); E McCabe 1-1; D Hogan, P Camon, D Kelly, B Cushen, C Hurley 0-1 each. Longford: C Clarke, P McCormack, R Smith 0-1 each.

Meath: S Barry 2-2 (points from frees); D Landy 1-4; F Toolan 1-2; P Fox 0-4; J Conlon, C Devereaux 0-3 each; L Tolan, F McManus 1-0 each; D Queeney (free and 45), B McMahon (one free), C O'Brien, S Mattimoe 0-2 each.

Next Up . . .

The six winners have qualified for the provincial quarter-finals. The losers enter a play-off. Longford host Wexford next Saturday, with the winner taking on Carlow for a quarter-final clash with Westmeath. Dublin meet Louth next Saturday at Parnell Park. The winner plays Kilkenny for a quarter-final spot against Kildare.

Also in quarter-finals, Meath play Offaly and Laois meet Wicklow.