Hyland on song as talented Lilies put Dublin to sword in inaugural U-20 decider
KILDARE were crowned EirGrid Leinster U-20 football champions after they comfortably overcame a strangely lacklustre Dublin by eight points at O’Connor Park in Tullamore last night.
It was Dublin that made the brighter start with Cormac Howley kicking a fine score within 30 seconds to help settle his side.
Kildare had the assistance of a healthy breeze at their backs during the first half and Jimmy Hyland judged it to perfection as he levelled matters in the fourth minute.
Neither side were playing anywhere close to the ability that they showed in respective semi-final wins over Meath and Offaly last weekend, with Kildare failing to get a positive dividend from towering fullforward Brian McLoughlin.
Dublin’s patience in possession was admirable, but they struggled to utilise the pace of James Madden, who was well marshalled in the initial stages by Jack Bambrick.
The Dubs spurned a glorious chance to open up a four-point lead in the 26th minute as Doran and Madden created a goal chance for Tom Keane, but the Naomh Olaf player’s low shot was comfortably repelled by Aaron O’Neill.
The significance of that save was magnified in the final eight minutes of the half as Kildare assumed complete control.
After Tony Archbold had levelled matters in the 27th minute, they opened up a fivepoint interval lead as Hyland’s brace was augmented by points from Padraig Nash and McLoughlin.
Trailing 0-10 to 0-5 at the break, Dublin failed to make the required impression upon the restart despite points from Keane and Ross McGarry and with every passing minute, their opponents’ confidence increased.
The icing on the Kildare cake arrived in injury time as almost inevitably, Hyland was fouled inside the square and Woodgate’s superblytaken penalty to the left of David O’Hanlon was a fitting conclusion to a totally dominant Lilies display.