A late glut of points helped
Galway overcome Kildare at New bridge in Allianz NFL
Division 1B this afternoon. John Doyle kicked three
early points for Kildare but the hosts lost Gary
White to a 27th-minute sending-off. A 30th-minute
goal from Michael Meehan steered Galway into a 1-07
to 0-04 half-time lead and the Caltra clubman went
on to score 1-05. Galway did have Damien Burke
dismissed for his second bookable offence but they
won out despite conceding goals to James Kavanagh
and Michael Conway, who netted an injury-time
penalty. Doyle, Kildare's top scorer in last
season's league, made an early impact but his
afternoon was cut short by injury and the Lilywhites
missed his presence in the second half. They also
had to do without left wing back White for most of
the game after he was given his second yellow card
for a late shoulder challenge on Joe Bergin. Meehan
then showed his class by rounding Kildare net minder
Enda Murphy for a well-taken goal, taking his
personal haul to 1-03. Cormac Bane was Galway's only
other scorer by that stage but as the game opened
up, the men from the west notched three of the next
four points coming up to the break. Meehan flung
over a fine point from the left, Matthew Clancy
bisected the posts from 20 metres out and Bergin
added his name to the score sheet before Conway
stopped the rot for the home side with a free. Six
points in arrears, Kildare had to make a lightning
start to the second half and they did. Their first
attack saw Kavanagh get onto a breaking ball and
beat Galway stopper Adrian Flaherty with a measured
finish. Dermot Earley's switch to midfield helped
Kildare gain a stranglehold on possession and Galway
losing corner back Burke to a second yellow card in
the 42nd-minute, things were beginning to look good
for Kieran McGeeney's side. Doyle's replacement Alan
Smith notched two frees with Meehan managing to
reply at the other end as Galway kept ahead - but
only just at 1-08 to 1-06. Overs from Smith (free)
and Earley levelled up the tie by the 57th-minute
but Galway, just as they did in their opening win
over Laois, kicked points when it most mattered. In
the closing stages, substitute Fiachra Breathnach,
Padraic Joyce, who was back from suspension, Paul
Geargthy and Bane all pointed as Liam Sammon's men
pulled clear. Earley missed a glorious chance to get
a goal back for Kildare. The home side did succeed
in raising a late green flag as Conway tucked away a
penalty with his left foot after a foot block on
Padraig Mullarkey, but time was on Galway's side.
KILDARE:
E Murphy; E Bolton, A McLoughlin, M O'Flaherty;
A Rainbow, K O'Neill, G White; P Mullarkey, K
Brennan; J Doyle (0-03, 0-02f), M Conway (1-01, 1-00
pen, 0-01f), J Kavanagh (1-00); R Sweeney, D Earley
(0-01), K Donnelly.
Subs used: A Smith (0-03, 0-03f) for Doyle
(half-time), T Fennin for Sweeney (65 mins), N
Browne for Brennan (70).
GALWAY:
A Flaherty; A Burke, F Hanley, D Burke; G Sice,
N Coyne, D Mullahy; J Bergin (0-01), P Geargthy
(0-01); C Bane (0-02, 0-02f), P Joyce (0-01), D
Meehan; M Clancy (0-01), M Meehan (1-05, 0-03f), S
Armstrong.
Subs used: M Gottsche for A Burke (25
mins), F Breathnach (0-01) for Armstrong
(half-time), D Finnegan for Hanley (55), B Cullinane
for Gottsche (58).
Referee:
Michael Hughes (Tyrone)
