Kildare minors restrict Down to just one point as they ease into Leinster MHC quarter-final

Kildare     2-15

Down        0-1

Leinster MHC preliminary quarter-final

Kildare had 20 points to spare as they breezed past a Down side who will not take fond memories from their visit to Abbottstown on Sunday. Cathal Fenton’s young side were wasteful at times, but they will be happy enough to secure progression into the Leinster quarter-final where they will play Wexford at home in two weeks’ time.

Kildare, having beaten Antrim in their opening game of the group stages and Meath in their final game either side of a defeat to Offaly, finished second in their group to ensure they received the favourable draw to play Down.

The Lilywhites have been building impressively during the year, and they warmed to their task from an early stage as they completed outclassed Down from the word go. The Mourne men struggled to keep hold of possession, and Kildare could have been out of sight by half-time if they hadn’t clocked up so many wides.

Muiris Curtin landed three points from frees in the opening 30 minutes, while Liam Dempsey also chipped in with a couple of points as Kildare pulled clear. The dominant Lilywhites could have had a couple of goals too, but they had to settle for a 0-8 to no score lead at the interval.

Things hardly got any better for the Down youngsters on their trip down south after the break, with Kildare pulling further away as Curtin continued to tag on points. Goals from Darragh Melville and Jack Cleary put a gloss on the scoreline as the Lilywhites eased into the last eight of the Leinster Championship.