Dublin 1-16 Kildare 0-14
Tom Gray’s Minor Footballers have set up a Leinster Final clash with Louth on July 16th after seeing of the challenge of Kildare in St. Conleth’s Park tonight.
The last time a Dublin Minor side reached the provincial final was in 2014, and that side featured names like Con O’Callaghan, Eoin Murchan, Aaron Byrne and Colm Basquel.
Tonight’s game was a very enjoyable one for the spectators in Newbridge. Kildare got off to the perfect start, and were 0-03 ahead before the end of the first quarter. Sean Hawshaw could have given Dublin the perfect start, but saw a very good goal chance go wide. A Ross McGarry pointed free and one from David Lacey got the scoreboard ticking to begin closing the gap.
It took Dublin into the last 10 minutes of the half before they eventually found their feet. Kildare had tagged two more points on before Hawkshaw opened the scoring sequence. Daniel Brennan added 0-02 to bring the teams level on 0-05 each. And after Lacey added another to put Dublin into the lead, it was James Madden’s turn to rattle the post.
Two minutes later Ross McGarry made absolutely no mistake with James Doran assisting the goal to put Dublin 0-04 clear just before half time. Lacey added another with Kildare getting the last score end the session 1-07 to 0-07.
The second half started just like the first with Kildare notching up 0-03 with four minutes to again tie the game before Donal Ryan fisted a score over the bar to push Dublin’s noses back in front.
Ross McGarry and Ryan again bolstered Dublin’s onslaught with more scores. And every time Kildare threatened, in a pulsating half, Dublin had the answers. James Doran, Sean Hawkshaw and David Lacey answered Kildare points emphatically.
With six minutes remaining until the end of normal time, Dublin lost Donal Ryan to a black card, being replaced by Karl Lynch Bissett. Hawkshaw, substitute Ciaran Archer and Lacey finished out the game, giving the dubs a Leinster final place, their first in three years.
SCORERS:
Dublin:
D Lacey 0-05 (0-1f)
R McGarry 1-02 (0-2f)
S Hawkshaw 0-03
D Ryan 0-02
D Brennan 0-02
J Doran 0-01
C Archer 0-01
Kildare:
D Kirwan 0-04
J Barrett 0-03 (0-3f)
S O’Sullivan 0-02
D Ryan 0-01
J Burke 0-01
F Nairn 0-01
J Cully 0-01
DUBLIN: D O’Hanlon; D Maher, P O Cofaigh Byrne, L Flatman; K Kennedy, N Matthews, E O’Dea; M Tracey, D Ryan; D Brennan, J Doran, J Madden; R McGarry, S Hawshaw, D Lacey. Subs: A Byrne for Brennan (42); C Archer for McGarry (51); K Lynch for Ryan (Black card, 54); D Conlon for Madden (58); A Lynch for Maher (62)
KILDARE: A O’Neill; D Reilly, M Barrett, DJ Earley; D Ryan, N O’Connor, C Murphy; C McQuillan, D Kelly; B McDonnell, J Burke, F Nairn; J Barrett, S O’Sullivan, D Kirwan. Subs: A Cronin for Murphy (35); J Cully for O’Sullivan (42); D Foley for Burke (44); E McGovern for O’Connor (46); N O’Sullivan for Nairn (50); G Cunningham for J Barrett (54).