Dublin 0-14
Kildare 0-12
DUBLIN’S BID FOR their 13th Leinster senior football championship crown remains intact after a two-point semi-final win over Kildare.
The Lilywhites pushed Dessie Farrell’s side all the way as 30,499 watched on at Croke Park, but the Dubs came from four points down to progress to the decider against Louth.
The misfiring champions led for the first time in the 64th minute, substitute Cormac Costello pointing a free to make it 0-13 to 0-12. Another finisher, Lorcan O’Dell, sealed the win in the 71st.
Glenn Ryan’s Kildare were 0-8 to 0-6 ahead at half time. After a disappointing Division 2 league showing — and hammering in last year’s Leinster final — they came to HQ with a plan and looked much-improved. They brought the fight in the first half in particular, but ultimately fell short.
Two points from the 45th minute onwards was sub-par from the Lillies.
Both sides called on big names from the bench, but Dublin, as they have become so accustomed to doing, turned the screw down the home straight.
Darragh Kirwan opened the scoring with two minutes on the clock, before the returning Stephen Cluxton was called into action with a signature one-on-one save.
Paul Mannion was Dublin’s main scoring outlet in the first half, with three varied points from play, but Farrell’s charges were slow in their build-up and Kildare capitalised on that.
Paddy Woodgate got up and running with 0-3 (2f), while Dublin miscued in the free-taking department: first Con O’Callaghan and then Cluxton from 45m. Ciarán Kilkenny levelled matters at 0-4 a-piece in the 26th minute, but Kildare kicked three in-a-row from there through Jack Robinson (free), Ben McCormack and Kirwan.
The latter of those came from a quick transition after the Lilywhites pounced on a loose James McCarthy handpass near goal. Their defensive set-up and intensity was impressive, Jack Sargent also producing a crucial block on Ross McGarry.
Points from O’Callaghan (free) and McGarry settled the Dubs as they tried to move through the gears, but a Robinson placed ball kept Kildare two ahead at the break.
McCormack and Woodgate (’45) extended their lead to four — 0-10 to 0-6 — by the 41st minute, while Dublin continued to look off-colour before the posts.
Cian Murphy eventually levelled matters with his first championship point in the 53rd minute, making it 0-11 a-piece. Seán Bugler, Colm Basquel, Lee Gannon, O’Callaghan — with a Robinson free sandwiched in between — raised white flags in the interim.
McCarthy saw yellow for an off-the-ball incident as tempers flared on and off the pitch, with scores few and far between in the latter stages. Impact substitutes Neil Flynn and Jack McCaffrey traded points amidst a flurry of misses, before Costello put Dublin into the lead for the first time.
O’Dell added the cushion in added time — again, poor shot execution evident at either end — allowing the Dubs breathe a sigh of relief.
Both sides remain in the All-Ireland race, results elsewhere meaning Kildare avoid the Tailteann Cup route.
Scorers for Dublin: Paul Mannion 0-3, Con O’Callaghan 0-2 (1f), Ciarán Kilkenny, Ross McGarry, Seán Bugler, Colm Basquel, Lee Gannon, Cian Murphy, Jack McCaffrey, Cormac Costello, (1f), Lorcan O’Dell all 0-1.
Scorers for Kildare: Paddy Woodgate 0-4 (2f, 1 ’45), Jack Robinson 0-3 (3f), Darragh Kirwan and Ben McCormack both 0-2, Neil Flynn 0-1.
Dublin
16. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 25. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille), 6. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis), 20. Tom Latif (St Jude’s)
8 Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
10. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s), 11. Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunketts ER), 12. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
13 Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes) 14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala), 15. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
Subs
17. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille) for Ross McGarry (HT)
7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf) for Tom Lahiff (HT)
21. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street) for Colm Basquel (49)
26. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams) for Paul Mannion (57)
23. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams) for Seán Bugler (64)
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)
2. Eoin Doyle (Naas), 3. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields), 18. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
5. David Hyland (Athy), 6. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge), 7. Jack Sargent (Eadstown)
8. Kevin O’Callaghan (Celbridge), 9. Aaron Masterson (Moorefield)
24. Paddy McDermott (Naas), 11. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields), 12. Alex Beirne (Naas)
13. Jack Robinson (Clogherinkoe), 14. Darragh Kirwan (Naas), 15. Paddy Woodgate (Raheens)
Subs
25. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge) for Alex Beirne (45)
23. Neil Flynn (Maynooth) for Jack Robinson (48)
21. Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge) for Darragh Kirwan (56)
19. Kevin Feely (Athy) for Aaron Masterson (62)
22. Jimmy Hyland (Ballyteague) for Ben McCormack (68)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).
