Moore’s the merrier for Athy as they advance to Leinster semi final
He may have worn the number two shirt and played a little further forward in the halfback line but Athy’s rugged and attacked minded defender, Sean Moore, looked after his defensive duties and still managed to get forward and score two points to earn him RTÉ’s Man of the Match Award in a blistering second half performance from the Kildare senior champions in Cedral St Conleth’s Park last Saturday evening. The win earned Athy a home semi-final against Portarlington (Laois), fixed, at the time of going to print, for Saturday week.
Although just leading by a point, 1-6 to 0-8, at the break, Athy blitzkrieged the Meath champions, Summerhill, outscoring them 0-10 to 0-1 in the second 30 minutes.
“It’s unbelievable now,” 23-year-old Moore told the Kildare Nationalist after the game.
“The first half was a bit shaky and they were kind of on top with their outside shooters but in the second half we got a bit of momentum going and kept winning kick outs to keep them out,” he explained.
Speaking further of that first half Moore said, “they were doing well, they were drawing us out and getting the right men on the ball and they were shooting very well. We were giving them a little bit too much space but their shooters were on point today,” he added.
The teak tough defender agreed that the Athy goal from Brian Maher in the 17th minute was a turning point in the game.
“That threw a bit of momentum to us but winning the kickouts was everything for us and keeping them in their half was a main priority in the second half, just to try and win the second half was all we strived to do.” Asked if he had licence to attack from his defensive position Sean Moore had this to say:
“I lined out at wing back today so I did have a licence to go forward but I was still trying to stay back and mind the house as well. We kept the press on their kick outs (in the second half) and we didn’t let them out and made them take pot shots, which was a real help to us,” he said.
While players and supporters alike are all enjoying these victories it was not lost on Moore that Athy’s journey was still ongoing.
“We’ll enjoy this evening and go back to training on Tuesday and we’ll look forward to two weeks’ time then,” he concluded.
It was also a good weekend for Kildare’s other representatives in the AIB Leinster Football Championships. Intermediate champions, Sallins, travelled to the lion’s den in Pairc Tailteann in Navan but they carried too much power for Meath champions, Kilbride, winning on a scoreline of 3-18 to 0-6. Three second half goals from the irrepressible Colm Dalton, Luke Kelly and Cian Grimes embellished a ten-point half time lead for Jonathan Daniels’ men at the soon to be redeveloped Meath HQ. Sallins now go on to meet Clara of Offaly in a mouth-watering Leinster semi-final, fixed at the time of going to print, for a Kildare venue on Saturday 29 November.
David Conway’s Grangenolvin claimed a semi-final spot in the AIB Leinster JFC when they defeated Wexford Intermediate “A” Football Champions, Cloughbawn, 1-17 to 1-12. Grange were helped by an opportunist goal on the stroke of half time from Fionn Bergin when he reacted quickest to a shot from brother Conall to fire home from close range. Cloughbawn’s goal came from the penalty spot deep in second half injury time which put a more benign look on the scoreline. The Kildare Junior champions are also due to be at home in an intriguing semi-final contest against Barcelona Gaels on 29 November. A busy but welcome last weekend in November for the three Kildare football champions.
