Kildare overcome slow start to claim Leinster JFC title in thrilling tussle with Meath
Kildare 2-17
Meath 2-15
Leinster JFC final
Kildare overcame a disastrous start in the Leinster final to overcome Meath and capture provincial silverware in a thrilling battle with Meath in Croke Park.
The Lilywhites trailed by three at the break and by five after just three minutes, but they warmed to their task as the game went on and they ripped Meath apart in the third quarter to set themselves up for a fantastic two-point win.
Whether or not it was the Croke Park factor at play and Kildare froze in their unfamiliar surroundings, the Lilywhites started extremely slowly and Meath had hit 1-2 before Kildare even got out of their own half.
Kevin Ross opened their account with a point after just 19 seconds, and the Royals found their way in for the first goal of the game all too easily a minute later when Thomas O’Reilly slipped Daire Rowe in to finish to the net.
The Kildare defence parted once again from the next move as Peter O’Connell sauntered through for an easy score, but Kildare woke up somewhat after that. The excellent David Malone broke through to fist over a point, before Mark Nolan won a free that was easily converted by Barry Noone.
Meath struck the next three scores as Peter O’Connell landed a beauty from out on the right wing, and Rowe followed up with a couple of converted frees to send the Royals 1-5 to 0-2 clear.
Kildare enjoyed their best spell of the half after that as Malone kicked his second point of the day, and it could have been much better for the Raheens man when he got in behind the Meath defence, but goalkeeper Conor McHugh bravely blocked his shot. Goalkeeper Declan Campbell impressively pointed the resultant ’45, and he went one better a minute later when he smashed over a massive free from 50 metres out.
Meath got their first score for eight minutes through the lively Danny Quinn, but Kildare captain Graham Waters burst up field to slot over from 25 metres out to cut the deficit to just three points after 17 minutes.
Points from O’Connell and Rowe kept well in control however, but Eoghan Lawless – brought on as a substitute just four minutes earlier – gave Kildare a foothold in the tie when he cut in from the left and fired a low shot to the bottom corner of McHugh’s net.
McHugh was on the mark at the other end however, as the Meath captain stroked over a ’45, and further points from play from Quinn and Rowe fattened the Royals lead. Raheens midfielder Liam Power did hit back with a fine score on the stroke of half-time to leave the scores at 1-10 to 1-7.
Kildare started the second half like a train, and they completely dominated possession, territory and momentum to completely turn the game on its head. From the 34th minute until the 47th they held Meath scoreless while they pushed on to kick 1-5 themselves and power into the lead.
Conor Murray started the purple patch with a pointed free, before Lawless floated over a point to cut the gap to one point.
The Lilywhites soon hit the front for the first time as Eoghan McMonagle picked out his clubmate Mark Nolan with a sumptuous pass, and the Clogherinkoe man rounded McHugh and rifled to the roof of the net. Now in their stride, Kildare tagged on further points through Brian Travers, Murray and Noone as they pulled five clear with 13 minutes left to play.
Meath snuck back into the game when Eoghan McMonagle was black carded for an ankle tap on Kevin Ross that Peter Stringer would have been proud of, and the Ballycastke clubman fired over the resultant free. Ross then angled home a brilliant goal on the turn to reduce the deficit to a single point. Kildare responded well as Noone slotted over a free before Murray got another from play as the game entered the final five minutes. Sean Claire hit back with a long range score, but Kildare ‘keeper Campbell boomed over his third of the day with a sensational free off the ground from all of 55 metres out.
Paul Lynch and John Keane came off the bench to fire two late points for Meath as they narrowed the gap to the minimum going in to added time, but Kildare substitute Declan Flaherty kicked the insurance point for Kildare from close range as they saw the game out. Conor Dempsey saw red late on for the Royals as their frustration boiled over a little, but it was a hugely satisfying day for Colin Ward and his charges as they landed provincial silverware.
Scorers for Kildare: E Lawless 1-1, B Noone(2f), C Murray(1f) and D Campbell(2f,1’45) 0-3 each, M Nolan 1-0, D Malone 0-2, G Waters, L Power, B Travers, E McMonagle and D Flaherty 0-1 each.
Scorers for Meath: D Rowe 1-4(2f), K Ross 1-2(1f), D Quinn and P O’Connell 0-2 each, J Keane, P Lynch and S Claire 0-1 each.
Kildare
Declan Campbell; Kevin Corrigan, Willie Burke, Cian Sharkey; Graham Waters, Eoghan McMonagle, Nathan Sherry; Liam Power, Brian Travers; David Malone, Mark Nolan, Kevin Foley; Conor Murray, Séamus Hanafin, Barry Noone.
Subs used: Eoghan Lawless for Foley 20mins, Tom Barron for Sharkey 47mins, Tom Dore for McMonagle BC 48mins, Declan Flaherty for Noone 52mins, Shane Maughan for Hanafin 52mins, Stephen O’Leary for Murray 61mins.
Meath
Conor McHugh; Ciaran O’Rourke, Cian McPartland, Michael Flood; Nicky Judge, Conor Dempsey, Thomas O’Reilly; Seán Claire, Kevin Traynor; Danny Quinn, Peter O’Connell, Cathal McConnell; Kevin Ross, Luke Martyn, Daire Rowe.
Subs used: John Keane for O’Reilly 34mins, Conor Farrell for Traynor 36mins, Darren Finney 36mins, Paul Lynch for Rowe 47mins, Eamon Ó’Dónachada for Farrell 52mins.