Fast start sets Kildare U20s up for opening round win in Leinster Hurling Championship
Carlow's Andy Jordan runs into Kildare's Oran Byrne
Kildare under-20 hurlers prevailed with eight points to spare against Carlow in Tier 2 of the O’Neills.com Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Lilywhites will now meet Kerry next week at a Kildare venue in a straight shootout to determine which side tops the group and qualifies for the Preliminary Quarter Final of the championship proper.
It was a game that never reached great heights, but Kildare had to battle back to regain superiority after Carlow had whittled down their lead to two points early in the second half. Ultimately a brilliant team goal on 43 minutes, finished to the net by midfielder Evan Ó Briain, gave them the impetus to see it out reasonably comfortably.
Kildare opened strongly with a strong enough breeze in their favour and after an early wide freetaker Alex Bell found the range with two from 45 metres out before Tom Boran registered the first point from play to make it 0-3 to 0-0 after six minutes.
Carlow, who had the benefit of an opening game against Kerry last week in their legs, were slow to get going but they equalised when Cian Quirke got inside Kildare full-back Darragh Devine. Although his shot beat goalkeeper Cormac Doolan, corner-back Dylan Doherty batted it away but Shane Kelly picked up the loose ball and drilled it to the net.
Kildare hit back almost immediately, and it was a goal with more than a touch of good fortune as Tom Power’s high ball from midfield dipped over Carlow goalkeeper Seán Buggy who may have been unsighted by the bright sunshine.
That settled Kildare for a while and two more frees from Bell and a fine long-range point from play from midfielder Oran Byrne put them 1-6 to 1-0 ahead after seventeen minutes.
Carlow, though, came more into the game in the second quarter, with the intensity of their tackling putting Kildare off their stride, the wides accumulating for Kildare who finished the half with seven.
The home side scored three points in a row through Tadhg O’Neill, Colm Kavanagh and Kelly and looked to be heading for the break within three points and wind advantage to come. Kildare though found the range again with a Charlie Carroll free from midfield and a good point from Cian O’Reilly under pressure in front of the posts, leaving Adrian Kinsella’s side ahead by 1-8 to 1-3 at the interval.
Carlow looked like making a real go of it with three points on the resumption from Kavanagh, Conor De Lacey and Quirke and Kildare looked rattled at that stage. A fine score from Carroll only drew a long-range free from Billy Nolan in response and it was 1-9 to 1-7 and all to play for.
Oran Byrne, excellent at midfield for Kildare, drove over a point to stretch the gap to three and Bell set up Tom Boran for another before the away side struck for their crucial score. Carroll’s driven pass found O’Reilly and he offloaded deftly to Power who in turn fed Ó Briain. The Naas man finished to the net over the head of Buggy.
That put Kildare seven ahead and with the tempo dropping and Carlow picking up half a dozen yellow cards as their frustration boiled over, they winners added four further points (Byrne, two from Carroll and Ó Briain with Kelly (free), James Ingram and TJ Darcy replying for the home team.
Cormac Doolan (St Laurence’s); Dylan Doherty (Leixlip), Darragh Devine (Cappagh), Niall Cramer (Éire Óg Corra Choill); Finnán Ó Dúlaing (Celbridge), Cian Brody (Maynooth), Michael Owens (Celbridge); Oran Byrne (Maynooth) 0-3, Evan Ó Briain (Naas) 1-1; Cian O’Reilly (Éire Óg Corra Choill) 0-1, Charlie Carroll (Naas) 0-4 (2fs), Andrew McNiffe (Celbridge); Tom Boran (Naas) 0-2, Alex Bell (Moorefield) 0-4 (4fs), Tom Power (Maynooth) 1-0. Subs: Ciaran Dunne (Maynooth) for Ó Dúlaing 39, Theo Frisby (Naas) for Bell 39, Matthew Kelly (Naas) for Doherty 46, James Bedford (Naas) for Devine 48, CJ Boran (Naas) for McNiffe 59.
Seán Buggy; Mark Dundon, Alan Wall, Patrick Hogan; Tadhg O’Neill 0-1, Jack Foley, James Ingram 0-1; Andy Jordan, Martin Carroll; Conor De Lacey 0-1, Billy Nolan 0-1 (f), Jack Kelly; Cian Quirke 0-1, Colm Kavanagh 0-2, Shane Kelly 1-2 (1f). Subs: Charlie Byrne for Kavanagh 46, TJ Darcy 0-1 for De Lacey 49, Joey Dalton for Jordan 49, Andy Ralph for Carroll 55, Conall Maguire for Hogan 55.
Rory Hanley (Dublin).
