U20s record another big win
Kildare's Ross Harris takes on Carlow's Jack Deacy in the Leinster U20 Football Championship tie this evening Photo: Sean Brilly
A devastating first-half performance from Kildare sealed a comfortable win over Carlow in the Dalata Hotel Group Leinster Under-20 Football Championship with a 20 point win over Carlow at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
All six of Kildare’s forwards had scored by the 17th minute, by which time the home side had a lead of 1-8 to 0-4 thanks to four points, including a two-point free, from Jay O’Brien and a superbly finished goal from outstanding centre-forward Ben Loakman, following up after Carlow goalkeeper Aaron Power had pushed out a Ryan Sinkey effort.
Carlow battled bravely in the opening half and caused the Kildare defence some difficulties, forcing four close-range frees which Brandon Cassidy converted while Liam Gavin landed a two-point free from 45 metres.
Kildare, though, with Loakman and Killian Browne shooting two-pointers from play and midfielder Ross Harris finishing a fine move to the net shortly before the interval, eased into a 2-16 to 0-9 half-time advantage.
With Loakman and Eoin Cully to the fore, Kildare kept the scoreboard ticking over in the third quarter although two more two-point frees from Liam Gavin kept the home side honest. A fine save from Kildare goalkeeper Charlie Carroll also denied Jake Nolan a goal.
With the game petering out, Kildare hit the visitors for goals from Cully and substitute Jimmy Lynch before Gavin and Cassidy landed late consolation points for Carlow.
Having already beaten Laois equally comfortably, Kildare now play now their final round robin game against Wexford next week to decide who will top the group and go into the semi-finals, with the loser having to settle for a place in the quarter-finals.
Charlie Carroll (Eadestown); Conor O’Grady (Maynooth), Pádraic Spillane (Athy), Niall Cramer (Raheens); Colm Moran (Athy) 0-2, James Harris (Castlemitchell) 0-1, Cathal White (Sarsfields); Senan Murphy (St Laurence’s), Ross Harris (Castlemitchell) 1-1; Ryan Sinkey (Naas) 0-2, Ben Loakman (Sarsfields) 1-6 (1tp), Killian Browne (Celbridge) 0-2 (tp); Jay O’Brien (Round Towers) 0-5 (1’45, 1tpf), Fintan Quinn (Naas) 0-2, Eoin Cully (Carbury) 1-4. Subs: Austin Donegan (Rathangan) for Sinkey 37, Joey Cunningham (Allenwood) for Browne 42, Jimmy Lynch (Clogherinkoe) 1-0 for O’Brien 44, Andrew Hill (Clogherinkoe) for White 50, Adam Fitzpatrick (Clane) 0-1 for Quinn 50.
Aaron Power; Daire Byrne, Ross Moran, Pádraig O’Brien; Tom Dillon, Eoin Myers, Darragh Fitzgerald; Adam Burgess 0-1, Conaill Fitzpatrick; Jack Deacy 0-2 (tp), Liam Gavin 0-7 (3 tpfs,1f), John Phiri 0-1; Brandon Cassidy 0-5 (4fs), Cillian Moore, Jake Nolan 0-2. Subs: Marc Mulhall for Fitzgerald and Cathal Healy for Moore (both HT), Sam McHugh for Byrne 44, Jamie Coakley for Fitzpatrick 45, Jimmy Carroll for Phiri 56.
Stephen Fagan (Wicklow).
