Kildare 1-12 Leitrim 0-6  KILDARE HAD to work hard to record a nine-point victory over a dogged Leitrim unit at rain-soaked St Conleth's Park on Saturday. This game was in the melting pot until James Kavanagh's 59th-minute goal put seven points between the teams. It took Kildare more than 20 minutes to score and four of their first-half points came in the last eight minutes to give them a 0-6 to 0-3 lead. They finally notched up 1-4 in the closing 12 minutes to seal the win.

Leitrim dominated the early exchanges. Points from Ray Mulvey and Michael Foley were scant reward for their early superiority. Kildare finally responded with a fine point on the turn from Johnny Doyle and that late flurry put them in control.

A Foley free straight from the restart for Leitrim left the deficit at two. Pádraig O’Neill dragged a low shot across the posts when one-on-one with Phelan but Kavanagh saved his blushes six minutes later, nudging to the net after substitute Tomás O’Connor had created the chance.

KILDARE:S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen, A Mac Lochlainn; B Flanagan, E Callaghan (0-1), E Bolton; D Flynn, D Earley; M O'Flaherty (0-1), P O'Neill (0-1), E O'Flaherty; J Kavanagh (1-4), R Sweeney (0-1), J Doyle (0-3 two frees). Sub:T O'Connor for E O'Flaherty (49 mins); D Whyte for Earley (53 mins); D Lyons for Mac Lochlainn (53-54 mins); H Lynch (0-1) for Sweeney (64 mins)

LEITRIM:G Phelan; D Reynolds, C Egan, D Beck; W McKeon, J McKeon, G Reynolds; T Beirne, S Canning (0-1); R Mulvey (0-1), J Glancy, M Foley (0-3, three frees); P Howard, D Maxwell, B Gallagher. Subs:D O'Connor for Howard (29 mins); C Clarke for Mulvey (45 mins); D Sweeney (0-1, 45) for Canning (55 mins); B Prior for Beck (59 mins)

Referee:C Reilly (Meath)