Brilliant Kildare reach first ever McDonagh Cup final
Gerry Keegan had a superb game for Kildare Photo: Sean Brilly
A ravenous Kildare side made history with a comprehensive win over Down at Cedral St Conleth’s Park this afternoon to earn their place in the Joe McDonagh Cup final for the first time.
Considering Christy Ring champions Kildare had not won a game in eight attempts in the competition prior to this year and started this campaign with a home defeat to Kerry it has been a remarkable turnaround from Brian Dowling’s charges as they cut a swathe through Westmeath, Carlow, Laois and now their League final conquerors Down to reach the final, where they’ll play Laois as a curtain raiser to the Leinster Final in two weeks’ time in Croke Park.
Kildare only needed to win if Carlow and Laois drew but they went about their own job in a professional manner with the momentum of those four wins behind them. As it turned out the other game did finish a draw thanks to a last-minute goal from the O’Moore men.
Down meanwhile needed either to win or hope Westmeath beat Kerry and with the latter scenario coming to pass in Tralee they survived in the second tier on the head-to-head rule with the Kingdom, ironically after beating table-topping Kildare, dropping to the Christy Ring.
The Lilywhites voracious play around the middle third ensured they had a surfeit of possession from the start, but they struggled to convert it early on, with nerves perhaps playing a part in front of a sizeable Newbridge crowd.
The first eight points were shared equally but energetic Kildare got on top with an eight-point haul between the 13th and 24th minutes, David Qualter leading the way from frees and Gerry Keegan starring in attack.
Kildare registered the game’s crucial score six minutes before half-time, a determined run and deft dummy from Daire Guerin setting up Qualter, the wing forward tapping the ball into the air to himself before lashing it past Stephen Keith in goal.
That helped Kildare to a 1-14 to 0-7 half-time advantage, though they had lost James Burke to injury ten minutes before half-time, and their progress stalled somewhat in the third quarter with Jack Sheridan missing a goal chance with a ‘fresh air’ shot and Keegan denied by a flying Keith save.
Gradully, with Qualter driving over frees from all angles on the way to a 1-13 personal tally and Keegan and Darragh Melville stretching the Down defence, Kildare registered seven points between the 51st and 59th minutes, bringing their advantage to fifteen.
Down substitute Shea Pucci pounced for a late consolation goal for the Mourne Men after Paddy McKenna and his defenders, led magnificently by Cian Boran and Simon Leacy had denied them on a number of occasions.
Paddy McKenna; Richie Hogan, Rian Boran, Daniel O’Meara; Paul Dolan 0-1, Cian Boran, Simon Leacy 0-1; Daire Guerin, James Burke 0-1; Cathal McCabe 0-1, Darragh Melville 0-3, David Qualter 1-13 (12fs,1 65); Gerry Keegan 0-3, Cathal Dowling 0-1, Jack Sheridan. Subs: Jack Travers 0-1 for Burke 25, Conn Kehoe for Sheridan 56, Liam O’Reilly for McCabe 60, Killian Harrington 0-1 for Dowling 64, Jack Higgins for Keegan 65.
Stephen Keith; Matt Conlan, Marc Fisher, Niall McFarland; Ruairí McCrickard, Caolan Taggart, Ben Taggart; Tim Prenter 0-1, Phelim Savage; Pearse Óg McCrickard, Donal Hughes 0-3, Finn Turpin 0-1; Paul Sheehan 0-8 (7fs,1 65), Eoghan Sands, Daithi Sands 0-1. Subs: Chris Egan for P Savage 39, Michael Dorrian for P Óg McCrickard 54, Liam Savage for Fisher 54, Shea Pucci 1-0 for Turpin 58, Conor Cassidy for McFarland 61.
Brian Keon (Galway).
