Kildare crowned Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U20 football champions

Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U-20 football final

Kildare 0-23 Louth 1-18

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park

Ronan Kelly underlined his vast talent once again with seven points as Kildare came from behind to edge a dramatic Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U-20 FC final.

Kelly impressed throughout 2025 with Ardscoil na Tríonóide and then the Athy seniors, who claimed the county title, and the corner-forward has carried that strong form into 2026.

Truth be told, he was relatively quiet last Wednesday evening when a Kildare side inspired by Jimmy Lynch saw off Meath at the provincial semi-final stage.

And Lynch did stand out again this evening at Parnell Park, helping himself to four more important points, but it was Kelly that really provided the inspiration to help capture a 14th title for his county at the grade.

Trailing by two points with four minutes to go, Kildare needed to conjure something special and they duly reeled off the last four points of the game with two of those coming from Kelly.

His Athy colleague Colm Moran impressed as well while there were cameos also from Ruaidhrí Lawlor and joint-captain Ben Ryan.

Kildare's reward for a first title since 2023 is an All-Ireland semi-final crack at holders Tyrone next Wednesday evening.

But it's the end of the road for a talented Louth team who dreamed of back-to-back titles at the grade for the first time in the county's history.

Kildare edged the first 10 minutes or so and led 0-4 to 0-2 when a huge turning point arrived.

Kildare defender Ryan, son of former senior manager Glenn, cut through the Louth defence but was shouldered to the ground just before he pulled the trigger.

Kildare fans cried foul but Louth took full advantage by racing down the pitch and netting through Adam Gillespie, shoving them a point up.

That score lit Louth's touchpaper and they surged 1-7 to 0-5 ahead after 24 minutes, thanks in part to two-pointers from Gillespie and goalkeeper Tiarnan Markey.

But Louth's purple patch was halted by a resurgent Kildare who reeled off three two-pointers in a row, two from Lawlor, to lead 0-12 to 1-8 at half time.

And that's pretty much how the game continued to play out, as a glorious back and forth with the sides level no less than eight times in the second half.

Louth hoped they'd broken the back of Kildare's challenge when Tadhg McDonnell's two-pointer put them 1-18 to 0-19 ahead but Kildare dug remarkably deep in the closing minutes.

Kelly, Calum Keaveny, Lynch and Kelly again all stroked over scores to leave the young Lilywhites savouring a first success at the grade in three years. It may not be a great omen for Tyrone that Kildare went on to win the All-Ireland back in 2023 too.

Kildare scorers: Ronan Kelly 0-7 (1 tpf, 0-1f), Ruaidhrí Lawlor 0-5 (2 tp), Jimmy Lynch 0-4 (0-3f), Colm Moran 0-2, Calum Keaveny 0-2, Euan Cowzer 0-2, Liam Kenny 0-1.

Louth scorers: Adam Gillespie 1-4 (1 tp), Tiarnan Markey 0-5 (2 tpf, 0-1 45), Tony McDonnell 0-3 (0-1f, 1 tp), Shane Lennon 0-3, Pearse Grimes Murphy 0-2, Keelin Martin 0-1.

Kildare: Charlie Carroll; Finn Dowling, Senan Gallagher, Ben Ryan; Liam Kelly, Cian McDevitt, Calum Keaveny; Evan Boyle, Daniel Colbert; Euan Cowzer, Ruaidhrí Lawlor, Liam Kenny; Jimmy Lynch, Colm Moran, Ronan Kelly.

Subs: Harry Redmond for Kenny 39, Rob Murray for McKevitt 53, Hugh Martin for Cowzer 57.

Louth: Tiarnan Markey; Padraic Tinnelly, Cormac McKeown, Daniel Craven; Keelin Martin, Micheál Reid, Tadhg Devaney; Colm Hackett, Shane Lennon; Conor McGinty, Conor MacCríosta, Pearse Grimes Murphy; Adam Gillespie, Sean Flynn, Tony McDonnell.

Subs: Andrew O'Reilly for Hackett 43.

Referee: Seamus Farrelly (Dublin).