Football League Division One: Derry 2-17 3-09 Kildare

Derry clinched a place in the Football League Division One semi-finals as they earned a fully-deserved win over Kildare which relegated the Lilywhites.

Cailean O'Boyle's goal helped Derry lead 1-2 to 0-0 and while Keith Cribbin replied with a Kildare goal, the Oak Leafers led 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.

Mark Lynch's goal early in the second half emphasised Derry's superiority.

Derry extended their lead to 2-17 to 1-9 and late goals from Eamonn Callaghan and Tommy Moolick flattered Kildare.

Only two brilliant saves by Kildare keeper Shane Connolly had prevented a totally dominant Derry from being out of sight by half-time at Celtic Park.

Derry dominated all sectors of field in the opening period against a lumbering Lilywhites outfit.

In addition to Connolly's two tremendous saves, Derry missed a series of good point-scoring chances which combined to somehow keep Kildare in the contest by the break.

With impressive pair Lynch and Benny Heron among the scorers, Derry pushed on their advantage to 2-14 to 1-5 as Kildare put up little third-quarter resistance.

With the game won, Derry took their foot off the gas in the closing 15 minutes as veteran substitute Johnny Doyle was among a series of unanswered Lilywhites points.

Kildare's second and third goals came in the final four minutes of action as Callaghan's three-pointer was followed by Mollick's goal in the final play of the game.

After hitting 1-8 against Dublin last time out, Lynch finished with a 1-6 tally in Sunday's contest.

The win means that irrespective of the result in their game in Mayo next weekend, Brian McIver's side are guaranteed a place in the Division 1 semi-finals.

WEEKEND RESULTS

SATURDAY

Football League Division One

Dublin 3-14 2-17 Mayo

Division Two

Meath 1-14 1-11 Down

Division Three

Cavan 0-14 1-08 Roscommon [Breffni Park]

SUNDAY

Football League Division One

Cork 2-14 0-20 Tyrone

Derry 2-17 3-09 Kildare

Westmeath 0-13 2-15 Kerry

Division Two

Galway 2-14 1-13 Armagh

Monaghan 0-19 0-14 Laois

Donegal 1-19 3-07 Louth

Division Three

Offaly 1-12 1-13 Limerick

Sligo 0-15 2-08 Longford

Fermanagh 1-14 0-06 Wexford

Division Four

Antrim 3-15 1-10 London

Leitrim 0-16 5-16 Tipperary

Clare 3-21 2-10 Carlow

Wicklow 2-14 0-12 Waterford

HURLING LEAGUE

Division 1 quarter-finals

Laois 2-19 2-23 Clare

Wexford 2-16 4-22 Kilkenny

Limerick 1-12 1-20 Galway

Tipperary 3-25 4-19 Cork

Division 1A relegation play-off

Waterford 1-17 4-13 Dublin

Division 1B relegation play-off

Antrim 1-18 1-14 Offaly

Division 2B relegation play-off

Fingal 0-08 4-12 Armagh