Kildare scored the last four points of the game to earn a well-deserved draw against Kerry in their first Allianz Football League game under Glenn Ryan's management.
In a magnificent rearguard action, Kildare frustrated Kerry and didn't concede after the 58th minute, while getting the all-important scores down the far end, a Jimmy Hyland free in the fourth minute of injury time eventually clinching the draw.
The game was delayed by 15 minutes as the crowd poured into St Conleths Park in the biggest crowd seen at the Newbridge venue since the famous 'Newbridge or nowhere’ game against Mayo in the summer of 2018.
As well as supporting the dream management team of Ryan, Anthony Rainbow, Dermot Earley and birthday boy Johnny Doyle those Kildare fans were also hoping to get one over the man who helped them into Division 1, Jack O’Connor, who was beginning his third term as Kerry manager.
After Kildare scored the first two points of the game, Kerry took the lead in the fifth minute when Killian Spillane scrambled home the scrappiest of goals.
Although the finish was untidy, it owed much to Gavin White in the build-up and his departure in the 27th minute due a hamstring injury badly hurt Kerry as his rampaging runs from wing-back caused Kildare a lot of problems during his time on the pitch.
A spell of three points in a row helped Kerry into a 1-06 to 0-04 lead by the 20th minute but remarkably, they only scored four points in the remainder of the game.
The Kildare defence were led by the outstanding man-marking job done by captain Mick O’Grady on David Clifford but around him the entire backline stood firm, even though at wing-back Tony Archbold was making his first Kildare start and Jack Sargent his debut.
Jimmy Hyland scored two
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