Kehoe Cup: Kildare win with ease against Down

Kildare made it two wins from two in the Dioralyte Kehoe Cup as they defeated Down by eight points this afternoon in Manguard Park, Hawkfield on a final score line of Kildare 2-17 to 0-15.

With Meath receiving a walk over from Wicklow who have withdrawn from the competition after a heavy defeat by Kildare in the opening round it means that next week's Round 3 game between Kildare and Meath will now decide the destination of the Cup, that game incidentally is scheduled for Manguard Park, next Saturday afternoon.

Kildare put down an early marker with two goals inside the opening five minutes with Cian Boran finding the net for the home side inside the opening minute before Jack Sheridan waltz through the Down defence to add goal number two.

And while Down came more into the game there was still six points separating the sides at the break 2-9 to 0-9.

The second half was well managed by Kildare who were never really threatened, despite missing a number of scores, in fact they had a total of 17 wides throughout the game.

Down never really threatened in that period as the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion as conditions took a turn for the worse late on.

Jack Sheridan was again the main Kildare scorer with 1-9 while Down's main scoring threat came from free takers Pearse Óg McCrickard with four points and half time substitute Oisin McManus who added three from placed balls.

Final score: Kildare 2-17 Down 0-15.

Scorers: Kildare, Jack Sheridan 1-9 (7 frees), Cian Boran 1-0, Rian Boran 0-2, Muiris Curtin 0-2, Jack Higgins 0-1, James Dolan 0-1, Conn Kehoe 0-1, Cian Shanaghan 0-1.

Down, Pearse Óg McCrickard 0-4 (2 frees), Oisin McManus 0-3 ( frees), Caolan Teggart 0-2 (2 frees), Tim Printer 0-2, Mark Fischer 0-2, Daithi Sands 0-1, Eoghan Sands 0-1.

KILDARE: Paddy McKenna cpt; Cian Shanahan, Seán Christanseen, Mark Grace; Harry Carroll, Simon Leacy, Conan Boran; Rian Boran, Daire Guerin; Paul Dolan, Jack Sheridan, Jack Higgins; Muiris Curtin, Cian Boran, James Dolan (Celbridge). Subs: Conn Kehoe for James Dolan (49 minutes); Frank Bass for Jack Higgins (57 minutes); Drew Costello for Harry Carroll (63 minutes); Reece Gavin for Paul Dolan (65 minutes); Sean O'Connor for Conan Boran (68 minutes).

DOWN: Stephen Keith cpt.; Darragh Malon, Tom Murray, Conor Cassidy; Mark Fisher, CaolanTeggart, Barry Trainor; Liam Savage, Donal Hughes; Niall Milligan, Eogan Sands, Pearse Óg McCrickard; Tim Printer, Chris Egan, Danny Toner. Subs: Tom McGrattan for Danny Toner (half-time); Oisin McManus for Tim Printer (half-time); Niall Milligan for Pearse Óg McCrickard (55 minutes); Matt Conlon for Conor Cassidy (56 minutes).

REFEREE: Derek Ryan.