Christy Ring Cup – Kerry 3-18 Kildare 1-16

Kerry defeated Kildare by 3-18 to 1-16 in the second round of the Christy Ring Cup on Saturday May 17th at Newbridge.

Star man Nolan keeps Kingdom on the march

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

Kerry advanced to the semi-final of this competition after a hard-earned win over Kildare at St Conleth’s Park. The hosts started strongly and a run of four points gave them a three-point lead before Padraig Boyle levelled with an 18th-minute goal. The Ballyduff man followed up with a second before Shane Nolan converted a penalty to give Kerry a 3-9 to 0-11 interval lead. Paul Dermody got Kildare back into the game with a goal from a 44th-minute penalty, but Kerry finished strongly to secure the victory.

Scorers –
Kerry: S Nolan 1-8 (6fs, 0-1 ’65’, 1-0 pen), P Boyle 2-2, D O’Connell, J Egan 0-2 each, M Boyle, D Butler, P Lucid, S Weir 0-1 each. Kildare: P Divilly 0-5 (4fs), G Keegan 0-3, P Dermody 1-0 (pen), D Harney, M Delaney, E O’Neill (1 s/l) 0-2 each, M Fitzgerald, B Deay 0-1 each.

Kerry: T Flynn; B Murphy, T Murnane, D Fitzell; S Weir, D Dineen, T Casey; D O’Connell, J Egan; D Collins, S Nolan, C Harty; P Boyle, M Boyle, D Butler
Subs: J Griffin for Casey (52), K Carmody for Harty (61), P Lucid for Dineen blood (69-70), P Lucid for Butler (70).

Kildare: P Dermody; J Doran, M Moloney, P Curtin; D Harney, N Ó Muineacháin, R Hoban; E O’Neill, M Fitzgerald; R Kelly, T Murphy, P Divilly; G Keegan, M Delaney, B Deay
Subs: K Whelan for O’Neill (52), R McLoughney for Delaney (58), R Casey for Kelly (68).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny)

Last year’s runners-up Kerry are through to the Christy Ring Cup semi-finals for the fifth time in six years after they saw off Kildare in Newbridge. Kildare started brightly, with a sideline cut by Éanna O’Neill and points by Gerry Keegan and Bernard Deay helping them into a 0-7 to 0-4 lead by the end of the first quarter, but Kerry found the net three times between then and the half-hour mark. Pádraig Boyle hit two of those goals and Shane Nolan got the third from a penalty to leave Kerry ahead by 3-9 to 0-11 at half-time. Kildare won a penalty themselves eight minutes into the second half and goalkeeper Paul Dermody buried it to inspire them to close the gap to three points, but Kerry outscored the hosts by six points to one in the last 20 minutes to win by eight.

Hurling Previews: There are five Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cup games taking place this weekend. Previews here – http://t.co/6dlNR9tSKu #gaa

— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 15, 2014