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Jimmy Hyland scored Kildare's third goal this afternoon. Donall Farmer/INPHO
Lilywhites

Kildare edge out Dublin in six-goal Leinster minor thriller

The Lilywhites avenged last year’s provincial final defeat against Dublin.

Kildare 3-16
Dublin 3-13

Jackie Cahill reports from Croke Park

KILDARE HAVE BEATEN Dublin by three points in this afternoon’s Leinster minor football championship semi-final at Croke Park.

The Lilywhites will face Longford in the provincial decider on 12 July after coming through a clash that saw the sides share six goals at GAA HQ.

Dublin led by four points in the first half but trailed by nine after half-time before launching a revival that fell short.

In the process, Kildare avenged last year’s Leinster final defeat against Dublin and ended the interest of Paddy Christie’s Sky Blues in this year’s championship.

Dublin were particularly wasteful in the first half as seven wides, including three in the first two minutes, cost them dear.

They did manage two goals, Tom Fox and Shane Howard on target, to help establish a 2-2 to 0-4 advantage with less than 17 minutes on the watch but Kildare rallied to lead by six points at the break, 2-11 to 2-5.

Paddy Christie It was a disappointing day for Dublin boss Paddy Christie. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

It was a quite remarkable finish to the opening half as Kildare hit 1-3 without reply in a brilliant spell.

Matthew Kelly’s quite magnificent goal in the 25th minute hauled the winners back into contention before Rory Feely netted a penalty, awarded against Dublin goalkeeper Evan Comerford for overcarrying.

Dublin were rattled by that scoring blitz and Jimmy Hyland cracked home a third goal for rampant Kildare with 18 minutes remaining.

Kildare led by nine points on three occasions in the second half but Dublin, to their credit, kept going until the finish.

They were rewarded with a consolation goal in stoppage time when Paddy Small netted a penalty.

Scorers for Kildare: Jimmy Hyland 1-3 (0-2f), Matthew Kelly 1-2, Rory Feely 1-1 (1-0 pen), Conor Hartley & Ciaran Kelly (1f) 0-3 each, Ethan O’Donoghue 0-2, Shea Ryan & Stefan Lawler 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Shane Howard 1-4, Paddy Small 1-2 (1-0 pen), Tom Fox 1-0, Cormac Howley & John Kindlon 0-2 each, James Holland, Callum Pearson & Dillon Keating (free) 0-1 each.

Dublin

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)

2. James Holland (Ballyboden St-Enda’s)
3. Paul O’Hanlon (Na Fianna)
4. Darren Byrne (Raheny)

5. Conor Kavanagh (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Brian Howard (Raheny)
17. Tony O’Sullivan (Whitehall Colmcilles)

8. Donal McIlgorm (Skerries Harps)
9. Aaron Elliot (Ballymun Kickhams)

10. Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes)
11. Shane Howard (Fingallians)
12. Callum Pearson (Kilmacud Crokes)

13. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Cormac Howley (Round Tower, Lusk)
15. Dillon Keating (Ballymun Kickhams)

Subs:

21. Aaron Bradshaw (Ballinteer St John’s) for Pearson (28)
18. Glenn McNamara (Raheny) for O’Sullivan (half-time)
24. John Kindlon (Castleknock) for Keating (half-time)
7. Oisin Kelly (Thomas Davis) for Fox (47)
19. Dean O’Brien (Ballymun Kickhams) for Holland (58)
23. Conor Kelly (Kilmacud Crokes) for Kindlon (b/c 60+1)

Kildare

1. Declan Campbell (Raheens)

2. Ronan Slattery (Eadestown)
3. Michael Joyce (Round Towers)
4. Darren Lawlor (Rheban)

5. Gavin Burke (Two Mile House)
6. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields, co-capt.)
7. James Healy (Sarsfields)

10. Conor Hartley (Sarsfields, co-capt)
8. Daniel Courtney (Kilcock)

13. Ciaran Kelly (Clane)
11. Ethan O’Donoghue (Clane)
15. Jimmy Hyland (Aylmer Gaels)

14. Matthew Kelly (Round Towers)
9. Rory Feely (Athy)
12. Brian McLoughlin (Clane)

Subs

20. Kevin O’Callaghan (Celbridge) for Feely (temp 10-13)
18. Sean Healy (Moorefield) for James Healy (48)
23. Stefan Lawler (Rathangan) for McLoughlin (47)
20. Kevin O’Callaghan (Celbridge) for Courtney (58)
17. Ryan Bannon (Monasterevan) for Lawlor (60)

Referee: Patrick Maguire (Longford)

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