Sexton's late sucker-punch ends Kildare's winning run
Alex Beirne running at Clare's Cillian Brennan Photo: Sean Brilly
A last-gasp goal from Keelan Sexton condemned Kildare to their first league defeat of the season at Cusack Park, Ennis this afternoon after Alex Beirne’s injury-time two-pointer had appeared to clinch a famous comeback win for the Lilywhites.
It was a rip-roaring game, a fine advertisement for the new rules, but ultimately Kildare’s inefficiency in front of the posts and a slow, leggy first-half put paid to their unbeaten record, leaving the promotion race wide open.
Offaly’s in over Leitrim leaves them level with the Lilywhites on eight points with the two Leinster neighbours set to clash in two weeks’ time in Tullamore, while Clare are two points further back but with a game in hand (against Sligo next weekend).
Clare were the better side in the opening half, with wind advantage and Sexton’s two two-pointers and a coolly slotted Eoin Cleary goal in the fourteenth minute saw them take a 1-9 to 0-6 lead into the interval.
Kildare had created at least five half-chances for goals in the opening half but perhaps should have taken a few fisted points rather than go for bust.
Brian Flanagan’s side did come back strongly after the interval, with five points in a row narrowing the gap to one. A 3v3 infraction handed Cleary a 13-metre free for Clare but a two-pointer and a single from Beirne put the Lilywhites ahead for the first time on 58 minutes (0-14 to 1-10).
Eamon Tubridy; Cillian Rouine, Cillian Brennan, Manus Doherty; Alan Sweeney, Fionn Kelleher, Seán McAllister; Brian McNamara 0-1, Ikem Ugweuru; Aaron Griffin 0-1, Emmet McMahon 0-3 (2fs), Ciaran Downes; Conor Meaney, Eoin Cleary 1-1 (1f), Keelan Sexton 1-4 (2tp). Subs: Cormac Murray for Griffin 49, Evan Cahill for McAllister 52, Daniel Walsh for Meaney 54, Dermot Coughlan 0-2 for Sweeney 61, Mark McInerney for Downes 72.
Didier Cordonnier 0-2 (tpf); Ryan Burke, Mick O’Grady, Brian Byrne; Jack McKevitt, James McGrath, David Hyland; Cathal Hagney, Callum Bolton 0-3; Ben McCormack 0-1, Alex Beirne 0-6 (2tp), Colm Dalton 0-2; Niall Kelly, Kevin Feely 0-2 (1m), Darragh Swords. Subs: Brian McLoughlin for Swords 28, Harry O’Neill for Hagney HT, Jimmy Hyland for Kelly 45, Ryan Sinkey for McCormack 52, Daniel Flynn for Feely 70.
Brendan Griffin (Kerry).
