GAME AT A GLANCE
By Daire Walsh
MAIN MAN
JAMES BURKE
When the chips were down in Castlebar, the Naas attacker delivered in spades. With Kildare five points adrift at the start of the second half, he proceeded to take the game by the scruff of the neck and registered 0-5 from open play to bring his tally for the campaign up to an impressive 3-9.
TURNING POINT
Had Mayo gone in at the break with an eight-point lead, they would have felt extremely confident about their chances of success. Instead, Kildare cut into their deficit with a stoppage-time goal from David Slattery and this ultimately gave them the belief to push for the win they craved.
TALKING POINT
For the first time since their round five league defeat to Down in March of last year, Kildare were playing in front of spectators in Castlebar on Saturday. The numbers in the crowd appeared to be lower than the 200 that were supposedly allowed to attend, but their presence did add to the occasion.
SCORE OF THE MATCH
Jack Sheridan’s incredible swerving effort from the left-wing on 24 minutes was a monumental strike.