Kildare 0-19 0-13 Derry
Last updated on .From the section Northern Ireland
Kildare produced a performance of power and pace to hold off a brave Derry in Saturday's All-Ireland Football qualifier at Croke Park.
Derry will point to a disallowed first-half goal with Enda Muldoon's effort harshly ruled out for a square ball.
Kildare led 0-5 to 0-4 at that point and extended their advantage to 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval.
The Lilywhites dominated the second half and on the evidence of this game, look serious All-Ireland contenders.
Derry, only six days after their Ulster-Final defeat by Donegal, made a promising start with two Declan Mullan points helping the Oak Leafers take an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead.
However, two John Doyle frees and a brace of Rob Kelly scores helped Kildare move into a 0-5 to 0-4 lead by the 18th minute.
Then came the major moment of controversy as Muldoon appeared to time his run perfectly as he palmed Mark Lynch's pass into the net.
TV replays weren't entirely conclusive but it appeared as though referee Syl Doyle and his umpire had made an incorrect call.
However despite the blow, Derry enjoyed a positive period as scores from James Kielt and Conleth Gilligan nudged the Oak Leafers into the lead.
Referee Doyle continued to make a number of calls which did Derry no favours but the Oak Leafers were still level at 0-7 to 0-7 after 28 minutes.
However, crucially Kildare took a stranglehold on the contest to outscore Derry by 0-4 to 0-1 in the seven minutes before half-time.
Two of the scores came in injury-time as Eamon Callaghan and James Kavanagh pointed.
Derry were still in touch at 0-13 to 0-10 down after 10 minutes of the second period but two cracking points from play from the increasingly influential James Kavanagh and Tomas O'Connor put the Lilywhites in firm control.
The Oak Leafers never got closer than four in arrears during the remainder of the contest as Kildare maintained their stranglehold.
Kildare's forward line showed an ability to kick points from play and their low wides count - in contrast to previous Croke Park occasions - will be hugely encouraging for Lilywhites boss Kieran McGeeney.
