Dublin got their Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign off to a winning start this evening by seeing off a plucky Kildare display by 1-11 to 0-13 at Croke Park.

Brian Fenton’s goal just five minutes in looked to have the Leinster champions cruising but points from Neil Flynn and Jack Robinson narrowed the Lilywhites’ deficit down to one by the ninth minute.

Points from John Small and Cormac Costello (free) opened the gap for Dessie Farrell’s men and, despite two more Kildare scores erasing them, Niall Scully’s score on 34 minutes would send them in with a 1-5 to 0-6 lead at the half.

Lining out for his county for the first time since last year’s Leinster final win over the same opposition, Con O’Callaghan bumped the lead to four with a brace of points inside the opening six minutes of the resumption.

The margin stretched to five (0-12 to 0-7) but Glenn Ryan’s men weren’t going to be shut out as they got scores from Jimmy Hyland and Robinson prior to Darragh Kirwan and Flynn raising white flags in the closing stages.

Flynn would land two more (one free) to keep the heat firmly on the Dubs but an equaliser never came as Farrell’s charges came through with both points.

Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Dublin v Kildare in Round 1 of the Allianz National Football League here!#GAANOW pic.twitter.com/yWGXsKPLXA

— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 28, 2023

Earlier in the day, Derry dominated Limerick with a 0-16 to 0-4 victory in Owenbeg which got them up and running in Division 2 after their first outing.

Shane McGuigan starred with 0-9 in a game that saw the Ulster champions leading 0-7 to 0-2 at the halfway stage.

Glen stars Conor Glass and Ethan Doherty both started for the victors, while the Treaty men were without their leading scorer from last year Josh Ryan.  

We open the #AllianzLeagues campaign with victory👌🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/aZvdTmNmNg

— Derry GAA (@Doiregaa) January 28, 2023

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