Kildare hold their nerve in hectic finish to advance against Wicklow

Leinster SFC Quarter-Final

Kildare 0-16

Wicklow 0-12

The clock was ticking close to 75 minutes.

Wicklow had just equalised and then had a glorious opportunity to put the game to bed with wing-back Matt Nolan looking at an open goal, not one player in front of him.

Carry the ball forward or take a pop, he decided to take a pop and the ball agonisingly went right and wide.

From the kick-out Kevin Feely gained possession, decided to take his chances, his effort was far from his best effort of the day as the ball drifted high and to the left but as he landed there was Niall Kelly to take control, surrounded by Wicklow players he somehow managed to get the ball to wing-back Jack Sargent who had the wherewithal to stay calm amid incredible tension punch over the bar.

From the kick-out the long whistle arrived and Kildare had booked their place in the Leinster SFC semi-final and a date with Louth.

To be honest one would find it hard to make this one up.

As manger Glenn Ryan said after the game “we were hit by sucker punch after sucker punch.”
And how right he was.

Injuries, a sending-off, in a game that Kildare trailed only once, and that was for a mere two minutes in the first half, led at one stage in the second half by five and then had to withstand that incredible ending that saw Oisin McConville's side level, could have, and should have taken the lead but in the end it is Kildare who march on.

Playing with the aid of a strong wind in the opening half Kevin Feely opened his account after two minutes with an excellent effort from wide on the right.

Wicklow replied through full forward Kevin Quinn, a free, before centre Christopher O'Brien edged The Garden County boys ahead after just four minutes.

That lead did not last too long, Darragh Kirwan was fouled and Feely popped over the free followed on nine minutes by a brilliant long range effort from Aaron Masterson who enjoyed an excellent opening half.

Wicklow reduced the gap back to one before Kildare after a fine move involving Niall Kelly and Darragh Kirwan ended with the Athy man hitting a beauty over.

Kevin Flynn and Ryan Burke were seen defending brilliantly before Darragh Fee got inside the Kildare defence and while he elected to take his point, it was a sign that the Kildare defence was somewhat vulnerable.

A foul on Shane Farrell saw Feely convert and the big man added another, this time Alex Beirne being fouled.
Kildare were hit with their first big glow on 24 minutes when captain Mick O'Grady was forced off injured, Brian Byrne coming in.

A converted free from Kevin Quinn saw the lead back to three points.

Kevin Feely was forced off with a blood injury; Paddy Woodgate coming on for three minutes but two minutes after that Feely was off again with more blood appearing.

Back came the Raheens man again, this time after two minutes but one minute later he re-appeared with Daniel Flynn being forced off with an injury.

In between the comings and goings of Feely and Woodgate Kildare were dealt another real body blow when Kevin Flynn clashed with Patrick O'Keane and the Celbridge was instantly shown a red.

Few complaints on that decision and while Flynn did not show any intent he did catch his opponent high.

Dean Healy reduced the deficit to two but a Darragh Kirwan point had Kildare leading by two at the break 0-9 to 0-7 but with a stiff wind to face and a man down for the second half the boys in white certainly looked in a precarious position.
Heavy shower at the break brought down the wind somwhat to Kildare's advantage.

Jack Sargent made a brilliant block to deny Wicklow on the restart and from that Kildare went on the attack with Paddy Woodgate firing over.

Kildare added a another white flag after a move involving Shane Farrell, Paddy Woodgate ended with Flynn pointing and when Brian Byrne found Niall Kelly the no. 11 made no mistake and Kildare now led 0-012 to 0-7 with 41 on the clock.

Tom Moran reduced the lead before Ryan Burke made a brilliant and timely interception but possession was lost and Wicklow, through John Paul Nolan reduce the lead back to three on 45 minutes.

A long ball in the heart of the Kildare full back line saw Shea Ryan and Christopher O'Brien contest it with the referee very harshly indicating a foul.

Up stepped Kevin Quinn on the 20m line but his effort inexplicably was short and ironically it was Shea Ryan who cleared the danger.

Dean Healy picked up a yellow as Kildare came attacking again with Niall Kelly linking up with Alex Beirne and Paddy Woodgate, the latter was fouled and he duly popped over the free.

A brilliant point from Dean Healy reduced the gap to three; Darragh Kirwan was shown a yellow but Wicklow were still hanging in, Darragh Fee got his second of the game; Tom Moran picked up a yellow before Wicklow hit a 45m free wide, followed two more efforts that failed to find the target.

Coming up to the 60 minute mark and Kevin Feely fed Darragh Kirwan who left three in it again and Kildare, while still under a bit of pressure still looked they had enough to survive.

Oisin McGraynor (free) and Kevin Feely, similar score, exchanged points before the drama hit fever pitch.

Eoin Doyle was dispossed by Kevin Quinn who headed for goal only for the Naas man to rugby tackle him and while that pull-down was outside the small square it was inside the 20m line and referee rightly awarded a penalty, converted by Oisin McGraynor with Doyle getting a black card.

Seventy-two minutes on the clock and the sides were level and the drama did not end there.

Paddy Woodgate was next to lose possession (surely fouled) but the play carried on with wing back, Matt Nolan heading for the Kildare goal, keeper Mark Donnellan was doing what modern day keepers do these days some 45m away up the left wing, at the An Tóchar man decided to take a pop some 45m out only to see his effort to right and wide.
Incredible stuff at this stage.

From the kick-out Kildare gained possession, as said earlier, Feely had a shot at goal, the ball went high and to the right, gathered brilliantly by Niall Kelly, who was bottled up but still managed to get it to Jack Sargent and the Eadestown man did the rest punching over the winner.

Incredible stuff, absolute heartbreak for Wicklow but for Kildare after enduring a season of absolute heartbreak losing all seven league games, a bit of fortunate finally coming their way.

Having said that the win only advances them to the semi-final and a date with Louth in two weeks time.

Another huge game for The Lilies and with a likely suspension of Kevin Flynn and injuries picked up by Mick O'Grady, Daniel Flynn and Brian Byrne it will be anxious two weeks indeed.

Some fine displays nevertheless, Niall Kelly was superb, Kevin Feely did a lot of good things, Ryan Burke and Jack Sargent looked comfortable; Aaron Masterson had a fine opening half while Paddy Woodgate had an excellent game.

SCORERS
Kildare: Kevin Feely 0-7 (5 frees), Niall Kelly 0-3, Paddy Woodgate 0-2 (1 free), Darragh Kirwan 0-2, Aaron Masterson 0-1, Jack Sargent 0-1.

Wicklow: Oisin McGraynor 1-1 (penalty, free), Kevin Quinn 0-2 (2 frees), Christopher O'Brien 0-2, Dean Healy 0-2, Darragh Fee 0-2, To Moran 0-1, John Paul Nolan 0-1, Patrick O'Keane 0-1.

TEAMS
Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Ryan Burke, Shea Ryan, Mick O'Grady; Jack Sargent, Eoin Doyle, Paddy McDermott; Aaron Masterson, Kevin Flynn; Alex Beirne, Niall Kelly, Shane Farrell; Kevin Feely, Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn. Subs: Brian Byrne for Mick O'Grady (23 minutes); Paddy Woodgate for Kevin Feely (BS 27-30); Paddy Woodgate for Kevin Feely (BS 35-37 minutes); Paddy Woodgate for Darragh Kirwan (38 minutes); Tony Archbold for Paddy McDermott (61 minutes); Harry O'Neill for Brian Byrne (63 minutes): Shane O'Sullivan for Shane Farrell (69 minutes); Ryan Houlihan for Shea Ryan (BS 70-72 minutes).

Wicklow: Shane Doyle; Tom Moran, Malachy Stone, Cillian McDonald; Matt Nolan, Patrick O'Keane, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Craig Maguire; Darragh Fee, Christopher O'Brien, Jack Kirwan; Jonathan Carlin, Kevin Quinn, John Paul Nolan. Subs: Joe Prendergast for Patrick O'Keane (BS 31-33); Gearóid Murphy for Jonathan Carlin (33 minutes); Oisín McGraynor for Craig Maguire (62 minutes); Joe Prendergast for Patrick O'Keane (BS 62-63); Joe Prendergast for Jack Kirwan (69 minutes).

REFEREE: Sean Lonergan, Tipperary.