Leitrim will enter the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final after Kildare sealed top spot in round one.
Leitrim put the game up to Kildare for long period, before finally succumbing in the final quarter.
Kildare led 1-8 to five points at half-time. Niall Kelly and Darragh Kirwan had the Lillywhites two points clear before Tom Prior opened Leitrim’s account on 10 minutes.
Paddy Woodgate and Kirwan moved Kildare three points clear on the quarter-final. Mark Plunkett pulled a point back for Leitirm before Kirwan and Kevin Feely moved Kildare four clear.
Two Darragh Rooney points kept Leitrim in touch. Paddy McDermott and Tom Prior exchanged scores.
Five minutes before half-time Niall Kelly rattled the back of the net making it a five point game on the half-hour. Woodgate rounded out the first-half scoring as Kildare led by six at the break.
Jack Sargent opened the second-half scoring for the Lillywhites, before Leitirm kicked into gear.
Barry McNulty (free), Mark Plunkett and Aidan Flynn made it a three point game on 47 minutes.
Paddy Woodgate restored Kildare’s four point advantage, Cathal McHugh responded almost immediately to leave a goal in it.
Darragh Rooney pulled it back to a three point game on 54 minutes. However, that was as good as it got for Andy Moran’s men.
Darragh Kirwan fired over three point’s in-a-row with a Woodgate free and Paddy McDermott making it a seven point game. Kirwan rounded out the score for the Lillywhites before Ryan O’Rourke rounded out the scoring.
Kildare advance to the Tailteann quarter-final after winning out 1-16 to 0-12. Leitrim will enter the preliminary quarter-final draw on Sunday evening at 5:30pm.
