Kildare development squad fall to second defeat
Luke Killian gets a pass away for the Kildare development squad Photo: Sean Brilly
Kildare suffered their second defeat of the Senior Football Development League on Monday night, going down to a lively Cavan outfit by six points in difficult conditions at Kilcock.
With Brian Flanagan watching from the sidelines, a number of senior panel members saw game time including Paddy McDermott and Aaron Masterson, but it was Raheens forward Jack Taaffe who impressed most in the Kildare line-up, scoring six points from play, including a wonderful two-pointer in the second half.
An even first half turned Cavan’s way on a couple of mishaps on the treacherous ground. The lively Aaron Browne lost his footing when heading for goal at one end, having earlier been denied by the Cavan goalie from close range, and with four minutes of the half remaining at the other end, Mark Maguire unfortunately slipped in a race for the ball that he looked like winning, and his man took full advantage to net Cavan’s first goal.
That helped the Ulster county to a 1-9 to 0-9 half time lead and points from Luke Killian and Browne gave Kildare the perfect start to the second half, but the home defence were caught napping when a slick Cavan move paved the way for their second goal on 41 minutes.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Kildare were undone again three minutes later when a ’45 dropped into the Kildare goalmouth and a Cavan forward was able to gather the high ball unimpeded and turn to finish to the net, still unchallenged.
With Niall O’Sullivan leading from centre-back, Kildare tried hard to bridge the now nine point gap with Taaffe’s booming two-pointer from the right of the arc proving to be the only one either side could manage on a windy, rainy night.
They might have come closer had substitutes Tommy Gill or Ciaran Flanagan finished good goal chances at the far post, but those opportunities went abegging and Cavan remained dangerous on the break, striking the post when clean through for another goal chance.
Ed Holton’s charges did finish reasonably strongly to reduce the gap down to six points, but the Breffni men ran out deserving winners.
Cormac Barker (Kilcullen) 0-1 (45); Dean O’Donoghue (Celbridge), Matthew McNally (Caragh), Mark Maguire (Naas); Rob Fitzgerald (Naas), Niall O’Sullivan (Maynooth) 0-1, Pat Martin (Ellistown); Rian Teahan (Rathangan), Aaron Masterson (Moorefield); Luke Killian (Sallins) 0-1, Paddy McDermott (Naas) 0-1, Fionn Cooke (Raheens); Aaron Browne (Celbridge) 0-4 (2fs), Dermot Hanafin (Naas) 0-1, Jack Taaffe (Raheens) 0-6 (1tp). Subs: Eoin Sheehan (Johnstownbridge) for Barker HT, Tommy Gill (Carbury) 0-1 for Martin HT, Ciaran Flanagan (Maynooth) 0-1 for Hanafin (HT), Fionn Ó Giolláin (Maynooth) for O’Donoghue 43, Seán Mahon (Maynooth) 0-1 for McDermott 53, Tadhg Hagney (Nurney) for Masterson 58.
