Kildare hurlers looking to continue winning run

The opening round defeat to Down seems a long time ago now with Brian Dowling’s Kildare hurlers having recorded three wins on the bounce to move into strong contention for a place in the Division 2 final and promotion to Division 1B for 2026 (both finalists will be promoted).

There won’t have been any major celebrations after the 3-21 to 1-15 win over Donegal on Sunday in Newbridge. Although Donegal had shocked Kerry the week before anything other than a comprehensive home win for Dowling’s side in the battle of Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard holders would have been a major surprise.

And so it panned out, with first half goals from Darragh Melville, Gerry Keegan and James Dolan (the Celbridge version) setting Kildare up for a comfortable second half.

This Saturday, Kildare welcome a somewhat shell-shocked Tyrone to Cedral St Conleth’s Park with the Red Hand county having shipped 9 goals and 26 points to Down last weekend. Tyrone sit bottom of Division 2 with no points on the board and it would be a shock of huge proportions if they were to lose out to the Lilywhites.

Previously unbeaten Meath slipped up in losing to Kerry at the weekend and the division is boiling up towards the clash of the two Leinster sides on March 22nd at Trim. Before that Meath have to face Derry and Down.

As regards Tyrone, Kildare have faced Saturday’s opponents on five occasions, the Lilywhites coming out on top in league games in 1987, 1999 and 2000 and last year in the Christy Ring Cup (2-31 to 0-11 in Dungannon), with Tyrone’s only win against us coming in a league game in Omagh in 1998 when they outscored us by 2-8 to 0-10. The sides have never met in Newbridge before with the only clash on Kildare soil taking place in Naas in 1999.

All known form points to a fourth win in a row for Kildare on Saturday in Cedral St Conleths Park at 3pm.