Minors' All-Ireland dreams ended by Tyrone
Fionn Lawlor, one of Kildare's best on the night is consoled by his father Derek after Kildare's defeat to Tyrone in the Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi-Final Photo: ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon
Kildare’s under-17 footballers suffered the same fate as the county’s under-20’s when going down to holders Tyrone in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football semi-final in Kingspan Breffni Park.
They died with their boots on for sure, none more so than outstanding Kill forward Jack Reilly who scored 1-7 and livewire wing-back Liam Mescal whose pacey attacking proved impossible for Tyrone to handle.
The sides were level (1-11 each) heading into the final quarter but Tyrone kept their heads better than the Kildare lads as torrential rain began to fall, the Lilywhites spurning a couple of late, late goal chances to level matters and bring it to extra-time, just as they had done against Meath in the Leinster final.
It wasn’t to be and it will take a good team to deny the Red Hands an eleventh title at the grade.
Tyrone, with a slight wind advantage, opened with a first minute two-pointer from full-forward Matthew F Daly but Eoghan Lyons replied with a point after a one-two with Aidan Tobin. Logan O’Connor stretched Tyrone’s advantage to 3-1, his effort dropping dangerously low but tipped over the crossbar by Kildare ‘keeper Joe Crotty.
Kildare were getting plenty of possession and they made it count on seven minutes when Jack Doran set up Reilly for a shot which goalkeeper Ronan O’Neill did well to smother, but the forward was on hand at the second time of asking, sweeping it to the net soccer-style to put his side ahead.
Good work from attacking wing-backs Mescal and Fionn Lawler set up Tobin for a point to stretch the lead to two but a rare mistake from captain Charlie Doran saw him lose possession in defence and Tomas Gallen and Matthew F Daly combined to set up Conan Canavan for a neat, low finish to the net his uncle Peter would have been proud of.
That would be Tyrone’s last score for twelve minutes as Kildare took almost total control of the ball, but they were wasteful for a spell, and it threatened to sap their confidence.
However, winning five out of six Tyrone kickouts, they turned that advantage into four outstanding points in the space of just over two minutes, the sharpshooting Kelly and Reilly registering two each to leave Kildare 1-6 to 1-4 ahead.
An entertaining first-half wasn’t over yet, though with Brian Óg McGuckin come to the fore for Tyrone with a point and a two-pointer to put them one clear.
Reilly almost nonchalantly swept one over for the leveller, but the Red Hands edged ahead (1-8 to 1-7) with the last kick of the half, wing-back Matthew J Daly converting from range.
The brilliant Daly stretched that lead at the start of the second half before Reilly sold a dummy and kicked an audacious point with his ‘weaker’ right foot but McGuckin replied for Tyrone.
Reilly, having the game of his young life, boosted Kildare with a bullet of a left-foot two-pointer to level things at 1-10 apiece and such was his confidence he then angled over a point from the acutest of angles to give his side the lead on 41 minutes.
Tyrone, though, were making regular headway through the Kildare defence, but fortunately they were very wasteful into the wind. Aodhán Corry, however, got forward for a 44th minute equaliser from centre-back.
Mescal almost set up substitute Oisín McAfee for a possible goal but the pass tantalisingly out of reach and it dribbled harmlessly wide and moments later Jamie Flood’s toe-poke was saved by ‘keeper O’Neill.
Matthew F Daly came to the fore again for Tyrone with two points before Logan Tennyson narrowed the gap to one (1-13 to 1-12), but it was the Ulster side who kept their calm in the home straight.
Daly once more, and substitute Finbar Quinn, pointed to leave Kildare needing a goal in the five minutes of injury time signalled by referee Christopher Ryan.
Doran set-up his clubmate Lyons for a chance but O’Neill did well to smother it and then Reilly’s shot was blocked and ricocheted across the goalmouth, but Flood touched it on the ground to give away a free out. Even at that, O’Neill again got his body in the way of the shot.
More gut-wrenching heartbreak for a Kildare underage team but they will take pride in an incredibly positive year.
Ronan O’Neill; Tiernan McCarron, James Maguire, Aidan Farley; Matthew J Daly 0-2, Aodhán Corry 0-1, Conor Fyffe; Tomas Gallen, Charlie Meenan; Logan O’Connor 0-1, Brian Óg McGuckin 0-4 (1tp), Ruairí O’Neill; Conan Canavan 1-0, Matthew F Daly 0-6 (1tp), Vincent Gormley. Subs: Conall Shelvin for Fyffe HT, Ciaran McKeown for Canavan 51, Finbar Quinn 0-1 for O’Connor 53, Caolan McKee for McGuckin 58.
Joe Crotty (St Kevin’s); Eoin Markey (Kill), Ryan Crawford (Kilcock), Luke Shanahan (Sallins); Fionn Lawlor (St Laurence’s), Jack Doran (Clane), Liam Mescal (Eadestown); Charlie Doran (Clane), Paidí Ryan (Round Towers); Greg Kelly (Castledermot) 0-2, Aidan Tobin (Allenwood) 0-1, Eoghan Lyons (Clane) 0-1; Aodhán Bergin (Grangenolvin), Jack Reilly (Kill) 1-7 (1tp), Cian Keogh (Castledermot). Subs: Logan Tennyson (St Kevin’s) 0-1 for Bergin 21, Oisin McAfee (Raheens) for Crawford 36, Jamie Flood (Maynooth) for Tobin 44, Rory Cooke (Raheens) for J Doran 52, Fiachra Martin (Maynooth) for Keogh 58.
Christopher Ryan (Galway).
