Kildare secure narrow first victory in Development League
Aaron Browne scored five points for the Kildare Development team this evening in Manguard Park Photo: Sean Brilly
The Kildare Development Squad had to withstand a stiff Meath comeback and an even stiffer biting breeze to record their first victory in the Development League by the slimmest of margins in Manguard Park on Monday night.
After turning over 0-7 to 0-6 to the good at half time Kildare took what looked like a commanding 1-13 to 0-10 lead into the breeze six minutes from time. The goal came on 51 minutes following a great turnover on his own 45m line by David Lovely. The Cappagh man sent Fionn Cooke on a run and after a number of interchange passes the Raheens man was on hand to palm Rob Fitzgerald’s final pass into the net. The Celbridge clubmen, Aaron Browne and Tony Archbold, then combined for second half substitute, Archbold to fire over to give Kildare that six point lead.
The value of the two pointers under the new rules then became obvious in the closing minutes after Meath popped over two in a row and they cut the deficit to a single point with two minutes left. Indeed, the Royals had a chance to win the game on the stroke of full time but an attempted two pointer from a free drifted narrowly wide at the Milltown end.
In a tight first half the sides were level for the only time in the fourth minute when a two pointer from the lively Pat Martin cancelled out two Meath single scores. Kildare took the lead again with a fine score from Conor Harris and a free from Aaron Browne. The Celbridge man was to be Kildare’s top scorer in that first half with four points, three from play. Meath kept in touch throughout that tight first half but Kildare turned over 0-7 to 0-6 in front as the rain arrived.
Kildare stretched the lead to three points inside four minutes of the restart with another Browne free and a point from half time substitute, Daniel Flynn. Indeed, on another day the ball might have ended up in the back of the net from a typical shot from the very busy Johnstownbridge man. Meath brought it back to a single score again with a point from play and a ’45 by the 39th minute. A fisted point from Fionn Cooke and two excellent points from play by Flynn put Kildare four to the good at 0-12 to 0-8 by the end of the third quarter.
Cooke’s goal and Archbold’s point looked to have secured a comfortable first victory for the Lilywhites Development Squad after defeats to Dublin and Cavan until those Royal two pointers made for a nervy ending but Kildare held out for a deserved victory.
A note on Referee, Billy O’Connell. No umpires, no linesmen, no sideline officials and flat cones used for the 40m arcs but the man in black gave an authoritive and demonstrative performance that kept the players and supporters happy. If he was on Dancing with the Stars he have gotten 4 X 10’s from the Judges.
Eoin Sheehan (Johnstownbridge); Seán Mahon (Maynooth), Tomas Von Englebrecten (Johnstownbridge), Mark Maguire (Naas); Rob Fitzgerald (Naas), Niall O’Sullivan (Maynooth), Cathal Daly (Naas); Sean Hanafin (Naas), David Lovely (Cappagh); Conor Harris (Rathcoffey) 0-1, Dermot Hanafin (Naas), Pat Martin (Ellistown) 0-2 ( 1 X 2 pointer); Aaron Browne (Celbridge 0-5 (2 frees) Fionn Cooke (Raheens) 1-1, Tadhg Hagney (Nurney) SUBS: Luke Killian (Sallins) for Tomas Von Englebrecten, 27, Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge) 0-3 for Tadhg Hagney H/T, Cian Burke (Clane) for Eoin Sheehan H/T, Tony Archbold (Celbridge) 0-1 for Conor Harris H/T, Tadgh Hagney for Fionn Cooke 56, Conor Harris for David Lovely.
REFEREE: Billy O’Connell (Kildare)
