Kildare make winning start to Leinster Minor Championship
Jack Reilly scored 1-6 for Kildare in their Leinster Minor Football Championship win over Laois this evening Photo: Sean Brilly
In driving rain and biting cold, Tommy Konstantin’s Kildare minor squad made a winning start to their Leinster Championship campaign at O’Moore Park on Tuesday evening.
Kill’s Jack Reilly gave a star turn with 1-6 and he was joined on the scoreboard by Castledermot’s Greg Kelly and Grangenolvin’s Aodhán Bergin.
Reilly converted a 14th minute penalty that he had won himself after good link up play with Jamie Flood and Kelly. Reilly’s well struck penalty sent Mark Dowling the wrong way and helped Kildare into a 1-5 to 0-4 half time.
If anything, Kildare probably should have been further ahead with the pacy Liam Mescal at the heart of many of their best moves.
The weather worsened after the half time break but Kelly scored two sweetly struck points from play as Kildare moved 1-9 to 0-5 ahead by the 38th minute.
They lost their way a little after that, however, and didn’t score for 18 minutes.
Laois pulled back points through Sean Maree and an Ethan Neilon free before a key moment in the 51st minute.
Laois were awarded a penalty for a foul by Ryan Crawford on Maree, that resulted in a black card for the Kildare full back, although there did appear to be some doubt as to whether the foul occurred inside the square.
Maree stood up to the penalty but incredibly his shot hit the underside of the crossbar and then bounced up and hit it a second time but crucially, didn’t cross the goal line according to the officials. Kildare goalkeeper Joe Crotty gathered the loose ball but then in his haste to win back possession, Maree fouled the St Kevins man and he too was shown a black card.
After that let off, Kildare saw out the win to make it a good start to their Championship and their next game is in two weeks away to Meath.
oe Crotty (St Kevin’s); Eoin Markey (Kill), Ryan Crawford (Kilcock), Luke Shanahan (Sallins), Fionn Lawlor (St Laurence’s), Liam Mescal (Eadestown), Oisin McAfee (Raheens); Greg Kelly (Castledermot, 0-3), Jack Reilly (Kill, 1-6, 1-0pen, 1tpf, 1f); Páidí Ryan (Round Towers), Charlie Doran (Clane), Jamie Flood (Maynooth), Aidan Tobin (Allenwood), Eoghan Lyons (Clane), Aodhán Bergin (Grangenolvin, 0-3fs). Subs: Jamie Wolfe (Moorefield) for Tobin, 48; Donnacha Connolly (Athy) for Flood, 54; Harry Feely (Naas) for Ryan, 59; Logan Tennyson (St Kevins) for Lyons, 60+1.
Mark Dowling; Dan Downey, Cillin Hoey, Darragh Brennan, Will Craig, Fionnan Brennan 0-1’45, Will McGrath; Eoghan Lalor, Cian Murphy 0-1; Tom Lawler, Eoghan Harris 0-1, David Timmons, Sean Maree 0-1, Aaron Mackey, Ethan Neilon 0-3fs. Subs: Oisin Gilligan 0-1 for McGrath, 45; Orran Langton for Lawler, 45; Mikey Regan for Harris, 48; Killian McLernon for Timmons, 50; Nisun Balogun for Brennan, 60+1.
James Foley (Carlow).
