Leinster U20 final awaits Kildare after sparkling display

DALATA HOTEL GROUP LEINSTER U20 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL 

KILDARE 1-20 

MEATH 2-15 

Kildare under-20’s are back in a provincial decider for the first time since the All-Ireland success of 2023 after a thrilling two-point win over Meath at Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Wednesday night.

The Lilywhites made life difficult for themselves at times, particularly with the manner of the concession of both Meath goals, but there was no doubting they deserved to repel this particular Royal visit having lost out to their opponents at this stage in each of the last two years.

There were Kildare stars all over the pitch, from Ben Ryan and Senan Gallagher in the full-back line to the high-fielding Daniel Colbert at midfield and on to the magnificent driving force of Colm Moran at centre-forward. Liam Kenny, starting in a late change, was outstanding, too, with three fine points to boot, on a night when Meath managed to curtail the talismanic forward Ronan Kelly.

With Kelly restricted to a single point from a free, late in the game, it was Clogherinkoe’s Jimmy Lynch who stole the headlines. After scoring 0-8 the week before against Westmeath, Lynch bettered that with a 1-8 haul in this one, his second half penalty proving crucial in rebuffing a stern Royal challenge.

Meath, playing with the aid of the breeze, looked bright in the opening stages and a two-point free from John Harkin followed by a goal from centre-back Colin Scanlon, deflecting home Paul Hennessy’s up-and-under, with Kildare goalkeeper Charlie Carroll perhaps unsighted by the evening sun, helped them into a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage by the twelfth minute.

Kildare recovered well from that with Clane dual star Colbert making some fine catches at midfield, not that his distribution or shooting were shabby either, and they outscored their opponents by ten points to three from there until half-time.

Lynch got them moving with an important two-pointer into the wind immediately after Scanlon’s goal while Meath ‘keeper Finn Moore had to get down sharpish to deny Moran a goal during Kildare’s period of ascendancy.

The home side hit the front just before the break thanks to a sweet left-footed point from Colbert with Lynch putting them two ahead at the change of ends (0-12 to 1-7).

Seven minutes into the second half Kildare’s Calum Keaveny was caught in possession and Ben Corkery set up Cormac O’Donoghue for a blistering finish to the net, bringing the scores level.

But Keaveny atoned for that error two minutes later. He might have been a little lucky to get away with over-carrying, but Meath were penalised for a foot block, and Lynch despatched the spot kick with aplomb with that wand of a left foot of his.

Back came Meath and Ryan’s block denied Harkin a third Royal goal while Carroll had to pull off a diving save to turn a Stephen Cahill effort around the post, although a three-up-breach was called against Kildare, which Harkin punished with a two-pointer.

With senior forward Colm Moran carrying the fight, Kildare kept their noses ahead despite another two-pointer from bustling Meath full-forward Cian Commons, followed immediately by a point from the same player, which brought the gap to a point with four minutes remaining.

But points from star men Lynch and Moran saw the Lilywhites three clear again before deep into injury time Harkin somewhat bizarrely elected for a tap-over point with all available Kildare players lining the goals in anticipation of a “Rob Kelly” moment.

Niall Cronin’s charges will meet holders Louth in the provincial decider next week.

KILDARE: Charlie Carroll (Eadestown); Finn Dowling (Kilcock), Ben Ryan (Round Towers), Senan Gallagher (St Laurence’s); Cian McKevitt (Naas), Liam Kelly (Milltown) 0-1, Calum Keaveny (Athy); Evan Boyle (Carbury) 0-1, Daniel Colbert (Clane) 0-2; Ruaidhrí Lawlor (St Laurence’s) 0-1, Colm Moran (Athy) 0-3, Jimmy Lynch (Clogherinkoe) 1-8 (1-0 pen, 1tp,2fs,1’45); Liam Kenny (Naas) 0-3, Euan Cowzer (Naas), Ronan Kelly (Athy) 0-1 (f). Subs: Luke Murray (Celbridge) for Cowzer 46, Harry Redmond (Sarsfields) for Calum Keaveny 46, Rob Murray (Naas) for Kenny 51, Cian Keaveny (Athy) for Lynch 60+1.

MEATH: Finn Moore; Cillian Yore, Sam Jordan, Shane Callaghan; Cormac Smith 0-1, Colin Scanlon 1-1, Kyle O’Brien; Michael McIvor, Paul Hennessy; Eoin McCrudden, John Harkin 0-6 (2tpfs,1f), Stephen Cahill 0-1; Ben Corkery 0-1, Cian Commons 0-4 (1tp), Cormac O’Donoghue 1-1. Subs: Adam Ducie for McIvor 38, Seán Delaney for McCrudden 41, Ciarán O’Hare for O’Brien 47, Pat Crawley for Corkery 51, Evan Kelly for Scanlon 55.

REFEREE: James Foley (Carlow).