Juniors wilt before Kildare challenge
KILDARE WICKLOW 2-11 2-9
KILDARE’S second goal with six minutes of normal time remaining in this Leinster Junior football quarter-final condemned Gary Duffy’s Wicklow side to defeat in Joule Park Aughrim last week.
A somewhat wasteful Lilywhite side were still able to put the Garden County to the sword having recovered from an impressive start from the home side that saw them take a 1-2 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes thanks to a delightful Cian O’Sullivan goal.
The visitors, with players selected only from Intermediate clubs as opposed to the Wicklow side pulled together from mostly Senior clubs, reeled off five unanswered points in a row then to surge ahead by 0-6 to 1-2, with a fine Jody Merrigan point pulling Wicklow back on level terms as we headed for the break.
A Conor Murray point for Kildare was answered in no uncertain terms with a magic score from Tony Hannon from a free out on the sideline stand-side to leave the sides level at 1-4 to 0-7 at the break.
Wicklow ignored Kildare’s bright start to the second half with Mark Grace pointing to thump over two of their own from the boots of first Cian O’Sullivan and then Tony Hannon to put the home side in front yet again at 1-6 to 0-8.
But Wicklow suffered a heavy blow then. Kildare, capable of moving the ball and notching scores with that degree or two more of ease, were boosted when a ball from full-back Willie Burke found the impressive Conor Murray and the St Kevins man lashed home past Rathnew’s Johnny Byrne in the Wicklow goal.
Tommy Kelly profited from nice inter-play from Cian O’Sullivan and Hollywood’s Mikey Healy to point and then Wicklow again propelled themselves ahead when Dunlavin’s Paul Murtagh galloped down on the Kildare goal and walloped home past Declan Campbell, 2-7 to 1-9.
Corner-forwards Barry Noone and Tony Hannon exchanged points as we crossed the 46th minute and then substitute Brian Travers brought the sides level again with a well-wored score from the Lilywhites.
Wicklow seemed to be tiring around the middle third at this stage and Kildare were growing in confidence and Maughan’s goal after 54 minutes sounded like a death knell to the tiny gathering of Wicklow supporters in Joule Park Aughrim.
Mikey Healy pointed after a scattering of wides from both sides and that was to be the last score of the game as the Lilywhites came, saw and conquered to march on to the Leinster semi-finals where they will face Louth in the last four.
Six Wicklow clubs (Rathnew, St Pat’s, Blessington, Hollywood, Kiltegan and Dunlavin) were represented on the Wicklow Junior starting 15 with a seventh (Laragh, Damien Hanlon) represented on the subs bench.
Best for Wicklow was Cian O’Sullivan who finished with 1-2.
– Kildare: Barry Noone (2f) 0-4, Conor Murray 1-1, Shane Maughan 1-00, Mark Grace 0-3, Brian Travers, David Malone, Mark Nolan 0-1 each.
Wicklow: Cian O’Sullivan 1-2, Paul Murtagh 1-00, Tony Hannon (f) 0-3, Mikey Healy, Eddie Doyle, Jody Merrigan 0-1 each.
Johnny Byrne (Rathnew); Steven Bohan (Blessington), Shane Murley (St Pat’s), John Manley (rathnew); Kevin Hanlon Blessington), Mikey Healy (Hollywood), Stephen Farrell (Kiltegan); Paul Murtagh (Dunlavin), Gavin Murray (Blessington); Eddie Doyle (Rathnew), Jody Merrigan (Rathnew), Patrick O’Connor (Blessington); Cian O’Sullivan (Dunlavin), Tommy Kelly (St Pat’s), Tony Hannon (Hollywood). Subs: Simon Bouchier for K Hanlon (40), Daniel Dawson for P O’Connor (52).
Declan Campbell; Kevin Corrigan, Willie Burke, Cian Sharkey; Graham Waters, Eoin McMonagle, Nathan Sherry; Mark Grace, Liam Power; David Malone, Mark Nolan, Eoghan Lawless; Conor Murray, John Jennings, Barry Noone. Subs: Subs: B Travers for E Lawless (7, inj.), S Maughan for J Jennings (42), S O’Leary for M Nolan (52), D Flaherty for B Noone (56).
Patrick Coyle (Meath)
Scorers Wicklow: Kildare: Referee: