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The Kildare players celebrate after their victory. James Crombie/INPHO
Still On Top

Kildare U20s complete Leinster back-to-back triumph after extra-time epic with Dublin

Ryan Sinkey top scored for the Lilywhites as they frustrated Dublin for the second year running.

Kildare 0-16

Dublin 0-13

Paul Keane reports from Carlow

KILDARE ARE BACK-to-back Leinster U20 football champions after braving an extra-time epic in Carlow, frustrating Dublin for the second year running.

Ryan Sinkey top scored for the Lilywhites with 0-4 though this was a victory for the collective with boss Brian Flanagan relying on a superb team effort to secure the county’s 13th provincial title.

It’s Kildare’s first successful title defence at this level since the 1960s and their reward is an All-Ireland semi-final clash with the winners of the Ulster title – Derry or Down – on 6 May.

Dublin, in their 10th consecutive final and chasing redemption after last year’s final defeat to Kildare, will kick themselves because they led by a point late in normal time but were suckered by Colm Dalton’s equaliser.

And Kildare were by far the stronger team in the additional 20 minutes, outscoring the Dubs by 0-5 to 0-2 with Adam Fanning, Callum Bolton, Shane Farrell, Cormac Barker and Oisin O’Sullivan all on the mark in that period.

Sinkey provided the early inspiration in normal time with three terrific Kildare points, his third tying the scores up at 0-4 apiece after 20 minutes.

It was tight and tense and three Dublin points in the remaining 10 or so minutes left them with a narrow 0-7 to 0-5 interval lead.

Joe Quigley, one of four players to come into the Dublin lineup from the semi-final win over Meath, accounted for three of those Sky Blues scores while Ross Keogh and county senior Greg McEneaney split the posts too.

Dublin got the margin out to three points in the third quarter with back to back Keogh points and it was about then that the game suddenly came alive.

Kildare’s response was terrific and four points between the 42nd and 48th minutes from Bolton, Sinkey, O’Sullivan and Fanning nudged them ahead for the very first time, 0-10 to 0-9.

It was anyone’s game in the closing minutes and Dublin did their best to seal victory with scores from Bill Costello and Quigley before Dalton sent the game to extra-time with a long-range 62nd minute equaliser for Kildare, 0-11 to 0-11.

Kildare dominated the extra period, building on a 0-14 to 0-12 half-time lead to eventually win by three.

Kildare scorers: Ryan Sinkey 0-4, Colm Dalton 0-3, Shane Farrell 0-2 (0-2f), Callum Bolton 0-2, Adam Fanning 0-2, Oisin O’Sullivan 0-2, Cormac Barker 0-1 (0-1f).

Dublin scorers: Joe Quigley 0-5 (0-3f), Ross Keogh 0-4 (0-3f), Luke Ward 0-1, Greg McEneaney 0-1, Seamus Smith 0-1, Bill Costello 0-1.

Kildare

1. Cormac Barker (Kilcullen)

4. Ryan Burke (Caragh), 2. Harry O’Neill (Clane), 3. Tomas Von Engelbrechten (Johnstownbridge)

5. James Harris (Castlemitchell), 6. James McGrath (Athy), 7. Jack McKevitt (Naas)

8. Fionn Cooke (Raheens), 9. Shane Farrell (Kilcock)

10. Ryan Sinkey (Naas), 11. Callum Bolton (Sarsfields), 12. Colm Dalton (Sallins)

13. Adam Fanning (Clare), 24. Oisin O’Sullivan (Clane), 15. Eoin Cully (Carbury)

Subs:

  • 21. Sean Hanafin (Naas) for Cully (41)
  • 23. Darragh Swords (Caragh) for Cooke (54)
  • 18. Ethan Mountaine (Sarsfields) for Von Engelbrechten (e/t)
  • 14. Niall Dolan (Raheens) for Sinkey (65)
  • 19. Fionn O Giollain (Maynooth) for Burke (70+1)
  • 20. Daire Guerin (Naas) for McGrath (75)

Dublin

1. Andrew Smyth (St Vincent’s)

2. Finn Bruton (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. Theo Clancy (Kilmacud Crokes), 4. Evan Nugent (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

7. Alex Gavin (Ballyboden St Enda’s), 9. Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps), 5. Dan O’Leary (Naomh Micheal)

8. Ethan Dunne (Skerries Harps), 21. Michael McDonald (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

10. Conor Dolan (Man O’War), 15. Ross Keogh (St Sylvester’s), 20. Seamus Smith (Na Fianna)

11. Luke Ward (Kilmacud Crokes), 14. Joe Quigley (Kilmacud Crokes), 13. Darragh Dempsey (Kilmacud Crokes)

Subs

  • 23. Bill Costello (St Vincent’s) for Dempsey (h/t)
  • 18. James Cotter (St Sylvester’s) for Smith (45)
  • 12. Tom Brennan (Na Fianna) for McDonald (50)
  • 6. Dara McGrath (St Anne’s) for O’Leary (62)
  • 19. Charlie McMorrow (Cuala) for Cotter (e/t)
  • McDonald for Costello (66)
  • 22. Caelum Moriarty (St Peregrine’s) for Quigley (70+1)
  • 24. Clyde Burke (St Pat’s, Donabate) for Dolan (77)

Referee: Alan Coyne (Westmeath).

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