Kildare 1-15 Tyrone 2-22
‘Newbridge or Nowhere’ screams the mural outside St Conleth’s Park in memory of last year’s victory over Mayo after Kildare forced the GAA into an embarrassing about face.
So be it; nowhere for the Lilywhites as Tyrone march into round four of the football qualifiers.
Mickey Harte’s men were fully deserving of the convincing final score but there’s plenty of gaps that need filling in.
The first half had everything (including a sending off that was ignored) with Tyrone racing into a seemingly untouchable 1-6 to 0-3 lead thanks to Michael Cassidy’s sixth-minute goal and points from all angles by Peter Harte, Rory Brennan, a gem by Colm Cavanagh before Mattie Donnelly and Darren McCurry also found their groove.
It was almost flawless. In stark contrast, Kildare were a mess with Mark Donnellan repeatedly failing to find a team-mate from kick outs while their manager was losing it on the sideline.
Cian O’Neill was sent off – although he refused to leave the playing area (leaning up against the rusty yellow gate on halfway) – after an exchange of views with officials following a yellow card for Kildare full back Mick O’Grady and a dodgy 45 awarded against Donnellan.
O’Neill marched down the end line to express his opinion to the whistle-happy Paddy Neilan. He had already clashed with Tyrone corner back Hugh Pat McGeary when attempting to relay information to Adam Tyrrell.
Despite what appeared a breakdown in communication, the Kildare players eventually took matters into their own hands.
At least they played some football before their summer dreams were swallowed whole. The revival was sparked by a monstrous 0-3 off Fergal Conway’s right boot before his midfield partner Kevin Feely got the Newbridge crowd involved with a slick goal on 30 minutes.
Feely was on the end of the killer move, initiated by Conway’s brilliant foot pass to Peter Kelly, who quickly transferred the ball to Keith Cribbin.
That, and a flurry of scores by both teams in injury time, made it a three-point game at the turn.
O’Neill returned to the sideline after half-time. The fourth official had a word. O’Neill stepped into the dugout. That was that. On went the action with O’Neill managing his team.
Tyrone, so obviously a superior outfit, kicked the life out of Kildare as Frank Burns, Cathal McShane, Donnelly and Harte stretched the lead back out to five.
Kildare clung on – Tyrrell and Feely pointing – but something special was needed to tear open such a regimented defence for a second time.
Instead they were reduced to 14 men when O’Grady was red carded following a second yellow.
McShane’s resulting free pushed the margin out to six points.
Any hint of a Kildare revival ended when Darren McCurry punched a second goal with seven minutes remaining.
Tyrone retain the look of genuine contenders, 70 minutes off a return to the Super 8s, while Kildare remain also-rans spent before July.
Afterwards, and on a day when it was hard to know if he was on or off, O’Neill refused to say if he will remain on with Kildare .
KILDARE: M Donnellan; M Dempsey, M O’Grady, P Kelly (0-1); C O’Donoghue, E Doyle (capt), D Hyland; K Feely (1-2), F Conway (0-3); D Slattery, C Healy, K Cribbin; A Tyrrell (0-5, three frees), B McCormack, N Flynn (0-3, two frees).
Subs: J Hyland for B McCormack (10 mins), E O’Flaherty for C O’Donoghue (10-11, blood) and for D Slattery (59), T Moolick (0-1) for K Cribbin (48), M Barrett for C Healy (51), K O’Callaghan for N Flynn (63), C McNally for J Hyland (67).
TYRONE: N Morgan; HP McGeary, R McNamee, R Brennan (0-1); M Cassiddy (1-0), K McGeary, F Burns (0-2); C Cavanagh (0-1), B Kennedy; M Donnelly (capt) (0-3), N Sludden, C Meyler; D McCurry (1-2), C McShane (0-5, two frees), P Harte (0-7, three frees).
Subs: B McDonnell for B Kennedy (b/c, 21 mins), M McKernan for K McGeary (54), C McAliskey (0-1) for N Sludden (60), K Coney for D McCurry (65), C McLaughlin for HP McGeary (70), A McCory for M Cassidy (71).
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).
