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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Kildare v Clare, Allianz National Football League Division 3 final

There is silverware on the line at GAA HQ.

Hello and welcome to today’s National Football League liveblog.

Kildare and Clare will do battle in the Division 3 final at GAA HQ. That one throws in at 6pm.

The Division 4 final between Louth and Antrim is delicately poised. That scoreline currently reads: Antrim 1-11 Louth 1-8 with 25 minutes still to play.

How do you see this one going?

Kildare ran out 0-22 to 1-14 winners when these sides met almost three weeks ago.

In the Division 4 final, a James Califf free has got Louth back to within two points of Antrim. It is now Antrim 1-11 Louth 1-9 with 18 minutes to play.

Both games are live on TG4, at a very empty-looking Croke Park.

Here is a reminder of today’s teams:

Clare

Joe Hayes; Seanie Malone, Kevin Harnett, Martin McMahon; Jamie Malone, Dean Ryan, Cian O’Dea; Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor; Sean Collins, David Tubridy, Pearse Lillis; Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton, Pat Burke.

Kildare

Mark Donnellan, Peter Kelly, David Hyland, Ollie Lyons, Ryan Houlihan, Fergal Conway, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Paul Cribbin, Tommy Moolick, Adam Tyrrell, Niall Kelly, Eoghan O Flaherty, Alan Smith, Kevin Feely, Neil Flynn.

We’ll keep you up to date with any late changes once any news drops.

The Division 4 final is set for a cracking finish. It is now Louth 2-10 Antrim 1-12 with nine minutes to play.

Jim McEneaney with the goal for the Wee County.

It’s all square at Croker as we enter time added on.

It’s Louth 2-11 Antrim 1-14

Scratch that – a goal from Grimes has got the Wee County back in front.

3-11 to 1-14

Still three minutes to play –  there will be a total of five minutes of injury time.

It’s all over. Louth are Division 4 champions after securing a 3-12 to 1-14 victory against Antrim.

We’re only minutes away from the throw in at Croke Park.

Johnny Byrne has come in at corner-back for Kildare in place of Peter Kelly.

Time for the anthem

And we’re under way at Croke Park for the Division 3 final.

Kildare 0-1 Clare 0-0

Kildare are off the mark with just 40 seconds on the clock — a free from the ground, straight in front from about 40m out, from the boot of Neil Flynn.

Clare 0-2 Kildare 0-2

Jamie Malone lands the first score from play but Flynn responds with one of his own.

Kildare 0-1 Clare 0-1

The Banner respond with a free of their own, from the boot of centre-forward David Tubridy.

Kildare 1-3 Clare 0-2

What a start from Flynn, the Kildare corner-forward rounds his man before selling the goalkeeper a beautiful dummy and smashing the ball to the net. That’s 1-2 for him already.

Kildare 1-4 Clare 0-2

Tyrrell tags on another free for the Lilywhites with his left foot.

Kildare 1-5 Clare 0-2

Flynn adds a third point from another placed ball. Great start by Cian O’Neill’s side.

Kildare 1-5 Clare 0-3

Pearse Lillis reduces the gap to five points with a tidy point from play.

Kildare 1-5 Clare 0-4

A Tubridy free cuts the lead to four points.

Kildare 1-6 Clare 0-5

Tyrrell on target with another left-footed free from the hands. But Tubridy replies with a free of his own from the ground.

Kildare 1-7 Clare 0-8

A great score from Sexton gets the Munster side back within three points. But the Lilywhites work a good score down the left-hand side. Eoghan O Flaherty fists it over to make it a four-point margin once again.

The Banner respond in kind though, winning a free down the other end only seconds later. Eoin Cleary converts with his left before adding another point from play just 60 seconds later.

OFF THE POST!

Cracking game of attacking football on show here. Jamie Malone is on the end of a superb Banner break but the wing-back’s shot on goal smacks the inside of the post and Kildare clear their lines.

Kildare 1-8 Clare 0-9

Tubridy tags on another free to get Clare within a score before Alan Smith responds at the other end.

Kildare 1-8 Clare 0-10

Tubridy with another free, he’ll kick these all day.

Kildare 1-9 Clare 0-10

Flynn adds another free for the Lilies. Almost half time at Croker.

GOAL: Clare 1-10 Kildare 1-9 (Tubridy ’35)

A great move from Clare. Gary Brennan started it himself, finding Sexton with a good pass. Sexton sold a clever dummy before dropping a high ball in front of the square for Brennan to fetch. The big man won it and fed Tubridy and the centre-forward made no mistake from close range.

HT: Clare 1-10 Kildare 1-9

That was an entertaining half of football.

Two excellent free-takers who have also both shown their worth from play.

Kildare are giving away far too many kickable frees considering their zonal defensive system is designed to force Clare to shoot from distance.

If we get half the drama we saw in the Division 4 decider we’re in for a treat.

We’re back under way at Croke Park. Thirty-five minutes to play with silverware on the line.

Podge Collins is on for Clare, looks like Sean Malone who has made way.

Clare 1-10 Kildare 1-10

Tyrrell levels it up from a free. It looked a soft one.

Clare 1-11 Kildare 1-11

Jamie Malone on target for the Banner. Tyrrell responds with a score from play for Cian O’Neill’s side.

Kildare 1-12 Clare 1-11 

Tyrrell gets his third of the second half with another free from the hands.

Clare 1-13 Kildare 1-12

Kildare are still giving away far too many kickable frees. Cleary again on target with his left foot.

Clare 1-12 Kildare 1-12

Great run by Sexton, the Clare full-forward appealed for a penalty but the referee decided on a free. Probably just about the right call.

Cleary levels matters again.

Clare 1-13 Kildare 1-13

A smashing score from Tyrrell. He’s been on fire in this second period. He’s got a serious left peg on him.

Kildare 1-14 Clare 1-13

Flynn puts Kildare ahead again from a placed ball. He looks a real star.

Kildare 1-15 Clare 1-13

GOAL CHANCE but Kildare centre-back Fergal Conway blazes his one-on-one over the bar.

SENDING OFF — Kildare full-forward Kevin Feely gets his second yellow.

Kildare 1-15 Clare 1-14

Clare strike back through Lillis, at the second time of asking.

Kildare 1-16 Clare 1-15

O’Flaherty adds a score for Kildare but the impressive Collins responds for the Banner.

OFF THE BAR — Great effort from Tommy Moolick rattles off the crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten. That would have almost put the game to bed you feel.

Kildare 1-17 Clare 1-15

A huge score from Paul Cribbin. Kildare were struggling to get inside the Clare ’45 but Cribbin took it on himself to break the defensive line and swing the ball over the bar from 35 metres out.

Kildare 1-18 Clare 1-15

Another monstrous effort from Cribbin. Clare need a goal now.

Graham Kelly on for Sexton.

Clare 2-15 Kildare 1-18

Unbelievable scenes. A goal in the last minute from Clare centre-back Dean Ryan ties it all up again.

Clare 2-16 Kildare 1-18

Substitute Enda Coughlan puts Clare ahead in the 73rd minute. But we’re going to have seven minutes of injury time. Hold on to your hats folks.

Eoin Powderly has come on for Kildare wing-back Ciaran Fitzpatrick who is being helped off the field after picking up a nasty-looking leg injury.

Clare 2-17 Kildare 1-19

Another red card – Houlihan this time for a second yellow.

Clare’s 14 against Kildare’s 13.

Cleary nails the free to edge Clare ahead again.

Kildare 1-19 Clare 2-16

RED CARD for substitute Graham Kelly. It’s now 14 on 14. He appeared to stamp on Conway and can have no complaints. Mindless stuff.

Free for Kildare from the 21m line and Flynn makes no mistake.

He sends it well wide though and Clare hang on for the win. What a finish.

FT: Clare 2-17 Kildare 1-19

Martin McMahon shown a black card for Clare. Game in its final seconds here.

Ref going card crazy. Can Kildare equalise?

They have a free just outside the ’45. Flynn is coming out to take it. Huge kick.

Great game of football, the teams were hard to separate. Hard to believe Clare were paying 5/1 to win this before the throw-in when you see how dangerous their forwards can be.

Thanks for joining us for the liveblog. Match report to follow.

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