Kildare lead Dublin by 2 points at halfway stage of pulsating league opener

Dublin    0-7

Kildare   1-6

Allianz NFL Division 1

It's half time in Croke Park, and Cian O'Neill's Kildare lead All-Ireland champions Dublin by two points at the break.

Kildare got off to a great start when Neill Flynn - who went off injured two minutes later - struck the opening score from a free after less than a minute, before Luke Flynn bagged a goal on his league debut as some slack Dublin defending allowed him to fire the ball past Stephen Cluxton.

The home side responded with inevitable calm, reeling off five points in succession as Kildare failed to get out of their half for long spells. Dean Rock slotted over a couple from frees, while Bernard Brogan, Ciarán Kilkenny and Niall Scully also posted scores.

Kildare came back into the game after that however, with Daniel Flynn particularly influential, though he squandered a great goal chance towards the end of the half when he blazed over rather than passing to an unmarked Eoin Doyle who was begging to be played in.

There was a bit of niggle to the game towards the end of the half as a large skirmish broke out, though referee Conor Lane only issued a yellow card to Niall Kelly for his involvement in the play before the flashpoint.

It's all to play for in the second half, and Kildare are certainly competing well so far.