Kildare suffered a 3-22 to 0-17 defeat to Kerry at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge.
The Lilywhites produced a spirited display for long periods and remained within touching distance of the reigning All-Ireland champions heading into the second-half.
Jack Robinson led the scoring effort for Kildare, while Darragh Kirwan added a number of impressive scores, including a two-pointer early in the second half that reduced the deficit to eight points.
However, Kerry's quality eventually told.
Goals from David Clifford, Diarmuid O'Connor, and substitute Gavin White helped the visitors pull clear in the closing stages to secure a comfortable victory.
Despite the defeat, Kildare showed plenty of fight against one of the strongest sides in the country.
Kfm's Ger McNally spoke to Kildare manager Brian Flanagan after the match who said he was proud of the players for their effort, but insists there is still work to do.
Final score: Kildare 0-17 Kerry 3-22.
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