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Tyrone's Mark Donnelly celebrates scoring his sides second goal with Sean Cavanagh. iNPHO/Donall Farmer
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Tyrone v Kildare, Division 1 FL semi-final

There was a place in the league decider on offer this afternoon in Croke Park. Here’s how the action unfolded.

It was league semi-final day in Croke Park as the Lilywhites faced the Red Hands.

We followed it all the way.

Send us your thoughts and comments on all the action.

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RESULT
Tyrone 2-15 Kildare 2-11

Welcome to Croke Park as we reach the last four stage in Division 1 of the Allianz football league. First up in today’s double-header is Kildare v  Tyrone. We’re just under an hour away from throw-in.

Here’s the Kildare team that has been named for today’s game. We’ll let you know if there’s any late changes.

KILDARE: Mark Donnellan (Maynooth); Ollie Lyons (Celbridge), Michael Foley (Athy), Hugh McGrillen (Celbridge); Peter Kelly (Two Mile House), Eoin Doyle (Naas), Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge); Daryl Flynn (Moorefield), Padraig O’Neill (St Laurence’s); Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge), Niall Kelly (Athy), Eogahn O’Flaherty (Carbury); Sean Johsnton (St Kevin’s), Alan Smith (Sarsfields), John Doyle (Allenwood).

There’s three changes to the Kildare side from the line-up that lost to Down last Sunday.

Mark Donnellan comes into goal while Daniel Flynn and Niall Kelly are handed starting berths in the half-forward line. They will join their U21 colleague Paul Cribbin, who played at half-back last Sunday, in the senior side.

The U21 contingent line out just six days before Kildare face Galway in the Cadbury’s All-Ireland U21 football semi-final in O’Connor Park in Tullamore. Goalkeeper Shane Connolly and the attacking pair of Willie Groome and Eamonn Callaghan are the three players to make way.

And here’s the Tyrone team for today’s match.

TYRONE: Niall Morgan (Edendork); PJ Quinn (Moortown), Conor Clarke (Omagh), Cathal McCarron (Dromore); Dermot Carlin (Killyclogher), Mattie Donnelly (Trillick), Conor Gormley (Carrickmore); Colm Cavanagh (Moy), Sean Cavanagh (Moy); Joe McMahon (Omagh), Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran), Mark Donnelly (Carrickmore); Martin Penrose (Carrickmore), Stephen O’Neill (Clann na nGael), Darren McCurry (Edendork).

Mickey Harte hasn’t been afraid to shake up his Tyrone team. There have been six changes made from the side that lost out to Kerry in last Sunday’s league clash in Omagh.

PJ Quinn comes in at corner-back, Conor Clarke gets the nod to start at full-back while Dermot Carlin, Mattie Donnelly and Conor Gormley form a new half-back line. Joe McMahon switches to wing-forward in a positional change while Martin Penrose is picked to play at corner-forward.

The players to lose out are Aidan McCrory, Justin McMahon, Ryan McKenna, Ronan McNamee, Patrick McNeice and Ronan O’Neill.

Both teams currently out on the pitch undergoing their warm-ups. It’s a beautiful sunny afternoon in Croke Park. We’re hearing word that there will be changes to the pre-match line-up’s announced by both counties. We’ll bring that to you when we get confirmation.

Kildare were last in a Division 1 football league final in 1991. Manager Kieran McGeeney will be hoping to qualify this afternoon.

Pic: INPHO/Presseye/William Cherry

Mickey Harte last took his Tyrone team to a Division 1 football league decider in 2003.

Pic: INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard

The teams met earlier in the league in Newbridge when Tyrone emerged victorious. Last year Kildare triumphed when the counties clashed in the Division 2 league final in Croke Park. We’re set for throw in here.

Early goal chance for Tyrone after a poor Kildare kick out. Peter Harte feeds Martin Penrose but he drills a shot wide of the post.

There’s three late changes to the Kildare team with Sean Hurley, Paddy Brophy and Emmett Bolton all parachuted into the starting side at the expense of Daryl Flynn, Seanie Johnston and Alan Smith.

One pre match change to the Tyrone side as Ronan McNamee comes in for Joe McMahon.

The referee for this Kildare and Tyrone clash is Clare’s Rory Hickey. We still await the first score of the game with six minutes gone.

Goal for Tyrone from Mattie Donnelly!

Tyrone 1-1 Kildare 0-1: 10 mins – A burst of scores as the game starts to take shape. Stephen O’Neill curled over a trademark sublime point to open the scoring before he then played in Mattie Donnelly who finished decisively to the net. Kildare have hit back with their first score of the game from midfielder Padraig O’Neill.

Tyrone 1-2 Kildare 0-1: 13 mins – Nice point by Edendork clubman Darren McCurry from a free for Tyrone as they stretch their lead. Kildare had a goal chance before that but John Doyle’s low shot was blocked by Niall Morgan.

Tyrone 1-3 Kildare 0-2: 14 mins – That’s a marvellous point by Padraig O’Neill from 45 yards with the outside of his right boot for Kildare. He’s their only scorer so far and that effort has just been cancelled out by Tyrone’s Mattie Donnelly who swept over a shot after a fine run forward.

Tyrone 1-3 Kildare 0-3: 17 mins – Back to a three-point game courtesy of another score by Kildare midfielder Padraig O’Neill.

Tyrone’s Colm Cavanagh takes to the field before the game.
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Tyrone 1-3 Kildare 0-5: 22 mins – Back to a one-point game after Carbury’s Eoghan O’Flaherty and Allenwood’s Johnny Doyle, from a free, both notched points for Kildare. The Lilywhites can’t be happy with their shooting though as they’ve chalked up 8 wides so far.

Tyrone 1-3 Kildare 0-6: 27 mins – The teams are level after Johnny Doyle knocks over a point from a free.

Kildare 1-6 Tyrone 1-4: 29 mins – Kildare hit the front through a Paddy Brophy goal!

A great goal for Kildare as a superb team movement culminates with Brophy firing to the roof of the net after Niall Morgan made a brilliant point-blank save to deny Eoghan O’Flaherty’s initial shot. Morgan had previously pointed a free for Tyrone. We’re approaching the interval here in Croke Park.

Kildare 1-6 Tyrone 1-5: 35 mins – An important point for Tyrone as Sean Cavanagh converts a free. Peter Kelly was yellow carded for the foul that lead to the awarding of that placed ball.

HALF-TIME: Kildare 1-6 Tyrone 1-5: That’s how it stands at the break with the Lilywhites narrowly in front. Tyrone’s Conor Gormley was booked just before the break by referee Rory Hickey.

Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Two Tyrone substitutions at the break with Joe McMahon in for Ronan McNamee and Conor McAliskey for Darren McCurry.

Goal for Tyrone from Mark Donnelly!

Tyrone 2-7 Kildare 1-8: 40 mins – Early scoring action as Martin Penrose and Aidan Cassidy point for Tyrone while Mark Donnelly crashes the ball to the net after being released by Cassidy. Two points by Johnny Doyle have kept Kildare in touch.

Tyrone 2-8 Kildare 1-8: 44 mins – Conor McAliskey stretches Tyrone’s lead after terrific work by Sean Cavanagh to create the chance. By the way it’s actually Justin McMahon who came on at half-time for Tyrone, not his brother Joe.

Nearly another goal for Tyrone when Martin Penrose gets clear but a brilliant last-gasp block by Kildare’s Michael Foley averts the danger.

Tyrone 2-9 Kildare 1-9: 52 mins – Johnny Doyle cuts the gap to two points from a free after Niall Kelly was fouled. But Tyrone respond immediately through Mattie Donnelly. Tomas O’Connor has been introduced for Kildare instead of Daniel Flynn.

Tyrone 2-9 Kildare 1-10: 54 mins - Seanie Johnston comes on for Emmett Bolton in the Kildare side as Doyle knocks over another close range free.

Tyrone’s Conor Clarke and Sean Cavanagh with Sean Hurley and Padraig O’Neill of Kildare
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Tyrone 2-11 Kildare 1-10: 57 mins – Tyrone looking strong now after a pointed free by Sean Cavanagh and a nice effort from play by Stephen O’Neill.

Tyrone 2-12 Kildare 2-10: 60 mins – Goal for Kildare from Paul Cribbin after McAliskey had pointed for Tyrone. This game is back in the melting pot now.

Substitutions on both sides. Eamonn Callaghan replaces Niall Kelly for Kildare while Tyrone bring on Ciaran McGinley and Aidan McCrory and take off PJ Quinn and Dermot Carlin.


Five minutes left here in Croke Park and Tyrone still holding on to a two-point advantage.

Alan Smith replaces Johnny Doyle in the Kildare side.

Tyrone 2-12 Kildare 2-11: 68 mins – Terrific point by Paddy Brophy for Kildare cuts the gap to the minimum.

Tyrone 2-14 Kildare 2-11: 69 mins – What a stunning point by Stephen O’Neill for Tyrone. He sidesteps Peter Kelly with a beautiful dummy and curls the ball over with his left foot. Then Mark Donnelly pops over one with his right and Tyrone look on the brink of a league final place.

Tyrone 2-15 Kildare 2-11: 72 mins – Another incredible point by Stephen O’Neill, this time from the Cusack Stand side with the outside of his left boot from an extremely tight angle.

FULL-TIME: Tyrone 2-15 Kildare 2-11: That’s it and the Red Hands emerge victorious with a four-point win.

So Tyrone are back in the Division 1 league final with Mickey Harte’s side set to face Dublin or Mayo on Sunday April 28th in Croke Park. Thanks for joining us for the first of this afternoon’s liveblogs from Croke Park and we’ll be keeping a close eye now on the other semi-final clash.

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