Kildare closed in on a place in the Christy Ring Cup final with a runaway win over Tyrone at O’Neill Park, Dungannon.
Victory over London next weekend will secure their place in the Croke Park decider, thanks to a positive attacking display on the road.
They had 12 different players on the score-sheet, Cian Boran leading the way with an 11-point haul.
From the moment David Qualter opened the scoring after just ten seconds, it was a virtual procession towards the Tyrone goal from a Lilywhite side determined not just to secure the win, but to enhance their overall score difference.
They had eight different players on the score-sheet in the opening half, with Qualter leading the way with nine.
Two each from Cian Boran, Conan Boran and Daire Guerin piled the agony on an outclassed home side, that managed just three Aidy Kelly frees in the opening half-hours, before substitute Joe McToal hit the target from play.
Kildare’s 0-19 to 0-4 interval lead could have been greater had they not hit ten wides, and they continued to flourish with a goal from substitute James Dillon right at the start of the second half.
Kelly and McToal had Tyrone scores, but there was no stopping the Leinster men, who continued to raise flags through Qualter and Cian Boran, while Jack Sheridan came off the bench to hit 1-3, his goal coming from a sideline puck which goalkeeper Conor McElhatton failed to hold.
Scorers – Kildare: J Sheridan 1-3 (1-0 s/l, 0-2f), J Dolan 1-0, D Qualter 0-11 (7f), Cian Boran 0-6, D Geurin, Conan Boran, D Flaherty 0-2 each, M Delaney, C McCabe, R Boran, S Leacy, C Keogh 0-1 each. Tyrone: A Kelly 0-6 (4f, 1 ’65), J McToal 0-4, B McGurk 0-1.
Kildare: P McKenna 6; D O’Meara 7, M Grace 7, H Carroll 7; P Dolan 7, Conan Boran 8, C Shanahan 8; S Leacy 7, R Boran 8; C McCabe 6, D Qualter 8, D Geurin 7; M Curtin 5, M Delaney 6, Cian Boran 8. Subs: J Dolan 6 for Conan Boran (h-t), Declan Flaherty 6 for Delaney (46), J Sheridan 7 for Curtin (55), C Keogh 5 for Qualter (55), C Byrne 5 for McCabe (62).
Tyrone: C McElhatton 7; D Rafferty 7, R Devlin 6, T Morgan 7; M McClean 5, C Munroe 6, B McGurk 6; J McCann 6, S Duffin 5; A Kelly 7, L Devlin 6, R Weir 6; F Devlin 6, S Og Grogan 5, C Taggart 5. Subs: J McToal 7 for Taggart (30), B Gormley 5 for Kely (48), T Mullin 4 for L Devlin (52), A Crossan 4 for McClean (55), C McKee 4 for Grogan (58).
Referee: K Parke (Antrim).
Derry 2-22, London 2-13
A second-half goal from Christy McNaughton shot Derry to a deserved win over London at Owenbeg, although it took a late Oisin O’Doherty save to keep Derry’s grip on the game.
The Oaks got off to a flyer against wasteful London, with Corey O’Reilly, John Mullan and Ruairi Ó Mianáin all on target.
A goal from Jack Goulding got Derry back into the game, flicking Kevin Reid’s diagonal pass to the net, before a Dylan Dawson point had London 1-2 to 0-4 ahead after 12 minutes.
An Ó Mianáin goal levelled matters at 1-5 each before Sean Glynn ran through for London’s second goal to put London back in the driving seat.
Derry finished the half well, with Cormac O’Doherty and Ó Mianáin on target before the latter scored for a 1-11 to 2-7 interval.
Paddy Kelly made a fine interception in front of Golding to start the move that led to a Cormac O’Doherty point.
Derry’s defence began to get the upper hand but they were not able to put London away and it took quick thinking from Corey O’Reilly to set McNaughton up for the goal that opened a 2-16 to 2-11 lead with 10 minutes to play.
Kelly, substitute Paul Cleary and O’Reilly all tagged on points to seal the Derry victory.
Derry will conclude with a trip to Sligo, knowing that a win is a must, while a London home win would leave qualification for the final down to score difference.
Scorers – Derry: C O’Doherty 0-7 (4f, 1 ’65’), R Ó Mianáin 1-3, C McNaughton 1-1, D McGilligan, C O’Reilly 0-3 each, M McGrath, J Mullan, J Friel, P Cleary and P Kelly 0-1 each. London: J Goulding 1-8 (3f, 1 ’65’), S Glynn 1-1, D Dawson 0-2, R Crowley and C O’Carroll 0-1 each
Derry: O O’Doherty; P Kelly, M Craig, N Farren; S Cassidy, R Mullan, J Friel; C O’Kane, M McGrath; D McGilligan, C O’Doherty, C O’Reilly; J Mullan, C McNaughton, R Ó Mianáin. Subs: C Murray for C O’Kane (58), SF Quinn for N Farren (64), P Cleary for J Mullan (67), D Mooney for M McGrath (69), S Kelly for R Ó Mianáin (72).
London: T Wallace, P Muldoon, C Byrne, N Geoghegan, T Millerick, S O’Meara, C O’Carroll, A Cunney, R Murphy, O Sheil, S Glynn, K Reid, D Dawson, J Goulding, R Crowley. Subs: E McHugh for R Murphy (44), N Broderick for R Crowley (52), M Flannery for O Sheil (56), P Kennedy for D Dawson (56), R Lodge for S Glynn (64)
Referee: P Owens (Down)
