Galway 1-12
Kildare 2-8

Another masterclass from Micheál Meehan powered Galway to their second NFL win in succession as Liam Sammon's men withstood a second-half Kildare rally in St Conleth's Park, Newbridge on Sunday. Meehan scored 1-5, including 1-2 from play, in an eye-catching display as Galway again produced some promising spells of penetrative football.

TACKLE . . . Galway's Michael Meehan is tackled by Emmet Bolton of Kildare during Sunday's league clash at Newbridge. Photo: Caroline Quinn / SPORTSFILE

In a game that saw both sides reduced to fourteen players, Galway were first to capitalise, surging into a seven points first half lead after Gary White had been dismissed for a second yellow card offence just 25 minutes in.

Matthew Clancy and Joe Bergin kicked excellent points as Galway posted 1-4 without reply – capped by a fine Meehan goal when the Caltra man pounced on an Andrew McLoughlin error to coolly round Kildare keeper Enda Murphy and slot home.

While the space afforded by the extra man undoubtedly made progress easier, Galway moved impressively during that first half purple match. Darren Mullahy continued his stirring form at wing back, while Joe Bergin and Paul Geraghty gradually gained control around the middle.

With the forward line enjoying a healthy supply of direct ball, Sean Armstrong looked threatening before he was forced off injured, the industrious Matthew Clancy linked well, and Padraig Joyce, on his return to the side, showed flashes of his class.

But the complexion of the game changed immediately after the interval as Kildare goaled almost from the throw-in, when a long range free from Killian Brennan dropped for James Kavanagh to convert. Galway were further rocked when Damien Burke rather unluckily earned a second yellow card and with their numerical advantage gone, the Kildare pressure mounted.

A string of frees from substitute Alan Smith eventually wiped out Galway's lead and with ten minutes remaining, the momentum looked to be with the Lilywhites.

But Sammon will be heartened by the strength of his side's response. Clancy restored the lead with his second point of the afternoon and Joyce, Cormac Bane and Geraghty all added points to puncture the Kildare resistance.

There was late drama when Michael Conway converted an injury-time penalty to once more reduce the margin to just a single point, but it was too late for Kieran McGeeney's men and Galway held on to make it four league points from four.

GALWAY: A Faherty; A Burke, F Hanley, D Burke; G Sice, N Coyne, D Mullahy; J Bergin (0-1), P Geraghty (0-1); C Bane (0-2, both frees), P Joyce (0-1), D Meehan; M Clancy (0-2), M Meehan (1-5, three frees), S Armstrong.
Subs: M Gottsche for A Burke, F Breathnach for Armstrong, D Finnegan for Hanley, B Cullinane for Gottsche.

KILDARE: E Murphy; E Bolton, A McLoughlin, M O'Flaherty; A Rainbow, K O'Neill, G White; P Mullarkey, K Brennan; J Doyle (0-2, one free), M Conway (1-2, one free, one penalty), J Kavanagh (1-0); R Sweeney, D Earley (0-1), K Donnelly.
Subs: A Smith (0-3, all frees), for Doyle, T Fennin for Sweeney, N Browne for Brennan (66 mins).

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