Allenwood finish in style to claim Kildare's Division 3 title

Allenwood and Sallins came into Friday night's EMS Copiers Senior Football League Division 3 decider safe in the knowledge that both of them would operate in Division 2 for 2023.

Played in front of a decent crowd on a glorious summer's evening, players officials and spectators were treated to a long overdue new scoreboard.

At the end of 60 minutes the new board had Allenwood seven points in front and with it the crown of League champions.
Sallins were quickest away and three early points from Cian Grimes, with two, and Colm Dalton had them three ahead after ten.

Allenwood levelled matters with three quick points within three minutes Darren Judge and Eoin Bagnall with frees and Bagnall again this time from play.

After Conor Dalton got on the end of Sean Conway's pass he edged Sallins ahead again after 14 minutes.
Allenwood came alive after a slow start and when Johnny Doyle and Johnny Byrne linked up they set up Darren Judge for the leveller.

Judge again, Darragh Malone and Billy Maher pushed The Blues three ahead as we passed the 24 minute.
Following the kickout from Maher's point Sallins created the first goal chance of the game.

Colm Dalton found Jamie Cox and the lively corner forward turned inside Rory Moran but his hesitation to shoot first time meant his weakened effort came back off the crossbar, James Dalton tapped over the rebound but it could easily have been a green flag.

Mark Byrne and Jamie Cox swapped points just before the break to leave Allenwood 0-8 to Sallins 0-6 ahead.
Like the opening minutes Sallins opened the scoring through a Cian Grimes free but within 60 seconds Allenwood through Eoin Bagnall kept the gap at two.

Johnny Doyle, from a 40 metre free, and Darragh Malone kicked points either side of Colm Dalton's second of the game.
Allenwood were now three ahead as we moved towards the last quarter.

It was a quarter that would decide the outcome of a game that was level on seven occasions throughout.
In the 41 minute county under 20 star Luke Killian, who had been very quiet up that point, broke on to a ball in the middle and as we saw so often with Kildare he raced 40 yards before setting up Cian Grimes for the game's opening goal.

We were level again but by the 47 minute second half sub Paul Clifford had Sallins with their noses back in front. Darren Judge capitalised on a foul on Johnny Byrne to regain parity.
Jamie Cox and Billy Maher kept it level with ten minutes remaining.

Sallins were dealt a big blow on 52 when second half sub Paul Farrelly was handed two quick yellow cards for high miss- timed tackles on Eoin Bagnall and Johnny Byrne.

This was the encouragement Allenwood needed and for the closing eight minutes they outscored Sallins by 1-5 to a point.
Darragh Malone, Johnny Doyle and Darren Judge added three before Allenwood's opening goal on 58 killed off any hopes of a Sallins revival.

Johnny Doyle won a ball deep in his own half before transferring to Johnny Byrne who in turn found Bagnall. Mark Delaney had made a lung bursting run from defence to take Bagnall's pass and the Kildare hurling star shot low to the Sallins net.

Billy Maher and Eoin Bagnall put the icing on the cake and Allenwood had won on a scoreline of 1-20 to 1-13.
The bragging rights to Allenwood but with a championship opener against Suncroft on the 16 the celebrations will be short lived.

Sallins were right in the game until the sending off and their opening championship game against Ballymore Eustace will bring back memories of last year's semi final and focus their attention.

ALLENWOOD: Luke Anderson; Ciaran Bagnall, Sean Moran, Rory Moran; Mark Delaney 1-0, Mark Byrne 0-1, Fionn Moran; Johnny Doyle 0-2 (1 free), Johnny Byrne; Eric Judge, Eoin Bagnall 0-4 (2 frees), Aaron Dunne; Darren Judge 0-6 (4 frees), Billy Maher 0-3, Darragh Malone 0-4. Subs: Jack O'Brien for Aaron Dunne (45 minutes); Jack Musgrave for Eric Judge (60 minutes).

SALLINS: Ryan Herbert; Ruairi Ó Domhnaill, Darren Keane, Aaron Carney; Luke Killian, Eoin McConnon, Luke Kelly; Sean Conway, Ben Caulfield; Colm Dalton 0-2, Cian Grimes 1-5 (4 frees), Kevin Foley; Jamie Cox 0-2, Conor Dalton 0-1, James Dalton 0-1. Subs: Alan Marshall 0-1 for Kevin Foley (half-time); Paul Farrelly for Aaron Carney (33 minutes); Paul Clifford 0-1 for James Dalton (46 minutes); Emmet Ralph for Colm Dalton (45 minutes); Conor McElroy for Conor Dalton (49 minutes).

REFEREE: Matthew Redmond.