Late Sheridan goal turns the tide for Kildare hurlers as they seal away win in Armagh

Armagh 1-15

Allianz NHL Division 2A

It was the late late show in the Athletic Grounds in Armagh as Kildare came from behind to secure a vital opening day win against a committed Armagh side on their home patch. A fiercely contested game could have gone either way, but in the end it was a goal from Jack Sheridan that proved the difference as Kildare ran out three-point winners.

Kildare began the game well with points from David Reidy, but Armagh's Nathan Curry offered a decent response with his first score of the game.

The visitors took control of the tie after that however, and a couple of scores from Jack Sheridan, aided by points from Dinny Stapelton and John Mulhall put Kildare into an 0-8 to 0-2 lead with just 13 minutes played. Armagh surged back into the contest however, and over the next 10 minutes they turned the game on its head by reeling of 1-5 without reply.

The pivotal score was Danny Magee's 23rd minute goal that put them into the lead for the first time, and the Orchard County men entered the dressing room with a 1-7 to 0-9 lead at the break.

The second half was an intensely even affair as both sides went blow for blow throughout the second 35 minutes, with David Reidy scoring a stunning point and John Mulhall landing a couple of efforts, bringing his tally to four for the day. Magee continued to be a thorn in Kildare's side however as he kept the scoreboard ticking over, but the visitors eventually found a route to victory when they scored a goal in injury time to take the lead.

David Reidy sent a long ball into the Kildare full-forward line, and it was Naas man Jack Sheridan who crashed the ball to the net to put Kildare back into the lead for the first time in almost 57 minutes, and they managed to hold on to that lead to see out the win.

They hist Westmeath in their first home league game next Sunday, and they will go into that looking to consolidate their position in the division with another win.