Missed chances prove costly for Kildare in Croker final cauldron
Kildare's David Hyland in action in the Allianz National Football League Division 3 Final at Croke Park. Photo: INPHO
Kildare had no one to blame but themselves as they kicked thirteen wides in losing to Offaly in the Allianz League Division 3 football final in Croke Park. It extends the Lilywhites dismal record at Headquarters to just 3 wins in 23 games dating back to 2014.
Ultimately Kildare failed due to an inability to take their chances and a defensive weakness when facing a pacier Offaly side, with the game following a similar pattern to the one the Faithful won in Tullamore two weeks previously.
Goals from Offaly from Jack Bryant in the fourth minute and crucially, with the game in the melting pot, from Cormac Egan on 56 minutes. Kildare huffed and puffed after that, but their shooting let them down. Truthfully a Kildare miracle would have been harsh on Offaly.
James McGrath sent Colm Dalton haring through on goal in the third minute with the Sallins man opting to take his point. When Offaly’s Jack Bryant had a similar opportunity sixty seconds later he went for the jugular, planting a superb effort in the top right hand corner.
The first half developed in a pattern where Kildare were taking their points after often-laboured build-ups while Offaly were more direct and pacier, as they had been in Tullamore two weeks previously.
Only last minute defending from Brian Byrne and Mick O’Grady denied further goal chances for John Furlong and attacking wing-back Cormac Egan.
Kildare did recover well from the early set back, a two-point free from 45 metres from goalkeeper Cian Burke drawing them level. But their goal was nearly breached again when Egan shrugged off Jack McKevitt, his goalbound shot blocked by Byrne before Bryant pointed from the loose ball.
The sides exchanged two points each through Callum Bolton and Alex Beirne for Kildare and Cathal Flynn and Keith O’Neill for Offaly.
Offaly were still getting through the Kildare defence too easily and two points in thirty seconds from the impressive Bryant and Dylan Hyland gave them a three-point lead.
Kildare’s best spell of the half from the 17th to 24th minutes saw them fire over four points to go 0-9 to 1-5 into the lead, with James McGrath and Ryan Houlihan coming forward from the half-back line for the first two and Alex Beirne pointing a free having been hauled down by Lee Pearson. He added another to give Kildare a somewhat fortuitous one-point lead.
Offaly hit back with a Daire McDaid point before McGrath swung over Kildare’s best point of the game but it took a last-gasp block by O’Grady to deny Egan. They did, though, finish the half the stronger, as a two-pointer from Jordan Hayes followed by singles from Bryant and Keith O’Neill gave them a 1-10 to 0-10 half-time lead.
Jack McEvoy extended that in the first play of the second half Kildare grabbed a lifeline two minutes later when Callum Bolton’s point attempt dropped short to the left of the posts and Niall Kelly did well to punch back into play where an unlikely goalscorer Harry O’Neill was on hand to finish to the net.
That made it a one-point game, but Kildare eschewed a second goal chance moments later when half-time substitute Darragh Kirwan rounded his marker but shot at a decent height for Paddy Dunican to make the save.
Kelly did level for Kildare with a fisted point and it was nip and tuck at this stage. Dylan Hyland landed Offaly’s lead point and a two pointer from Shane Tierney put them three ahead, but Paddy McDermott pulled one back.
Offaly might have had a goal on 50 minutes when Lee Pearson fisted across goal, but O’Neill couldn’t reach to apply the finish.
Kildare added two points from Beirne to make it 1-14 apiece after 54 minutes but Offaly essentially won the game with 1-2 in four minutes. The increasingly influential O’Neill pointed and then set up Egan rather to easily from a Kildare perspective to skip through on Burke’s goal and roll a shot to the net. O’Neill, rising to the occasion, added an outside-of-the-boot effort.
On 61 minutes, Egan extended the lead to six points leaving Kildare to chase a miracle.
Substitute Darragh Swords pulled one back, but Offaly were still dangerous on the break and might have added two further goals with better composure.
As it was, Kildare ate into the lead. Kevin Feely fed Kirwan for a goal chance, but he blazed over. When the Naas man was brought down, remarkably with no cards ensuing, he pointed the free and with three minutes left the same player pointed another free to make it a two-point game.
With the clock winding down, Kildare had one last chance with a two-point effort from Beirne trailing wide.
Cian Burke 0-2 (tpf); Harry O’Neill 1-0, Mick O’Grady, Brian Byrne; Ryan Houlihan 0-1, James McGrath 0-2, David Hyland; Kevin Feely, Callum Bolton 0-1; Cathal Hagney, Jack McKevitt, Colm Dalton 0-1; Ryan Sinkey, Alex Beirne 0-5 (3fs), Niall Kelly 0-1.
Paddy McDermott 0-1 for Hagney 26, Darragh Kirwan 0-3 (2fs) for McKevitt HT, Darragh Swords 0-1 for Sinkey 49, Kevin Flynn for O’Grady 54, Ryan Burke for Houlihan 58.
Paddy Dunican; Lee Pearson, Aidan Bracken, Daire McDaid 0-1; Rory Egan, John Furlong, Cormac Egan 1-1; Jack McEvoy 0-1, Jordan Hayes 0-2 (tp); Kyle Higgins, Cathal Flynn 0-1, Keith O’Neill 0-4; Dylan Hyland 0-2 (1f), Jack Bryant 1-3, Shane Tierney 0-2 (tp).
Aaron Leavy for McEvoy 68, Ruairi McNamee for Hyland 68.
Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).
