Kildare through to Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U20 semi-finals
Ronan Kelly of Kildare during the Electric Ireland GAA Football All-Ireland Minor Championship Tier 2 final match between Cavan and Kildare at Páirc Tailteann in Navan, Meath. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile.
Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U20 football semi-final
Kildare 1-20 Westmeath 2-12
By Gerry Buckley
Kildare qualified for the Leinster U20 football penultimate round with a deserved five-point win against Westmeath in a rescheduled quarter-final in Mullingar.
Eight days after the original match had been abandoned at half-time in nearby Kinnegad due to atrocious weather conditions (with Kildare 0-6 to 0-3 ahead having played with the wind), the contrast could hardly have been more stark in sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park.
Westmeath spurned a couple of early chances before wind-assisted Kildare took complete control, kicking a remarkable 1-10 without reply by the 16th minute. This haul included three two-pointers – frees by Ronan Kelly and Jimmy Lynch, and from play by Ben Ryan. The goal was scored in the eighth minute by Kelly at the end of a great move.
Midfielder Kealan Connell broke the home team’s duck in the 17th minute before Kelly kicked another two-point free. However, Westmeath were largely on top in the second quarter. Cillian Rochford found the net in the 23rd minute and marquee forward Will Scahill converted a brace of frees. They should really have doubled their goal tally in injury-time when Scahill teed up Rochford, but he was blocked at the expense of an unconverted ‘45’. Kildare led by 1-13 to 1-4 at half-time.
A brace of two-point frees from Scahill shortly after the change of ends gave the home fans real hope. Sub Sean Whittaker did well to set up Donnacha Maguire for a goal in the 45th minute, thereby reducing the deficit down to four points (1-15 to 2-8). Five minutes later, it was down to just three points after a great two-pointer from play by Matty Thornton.
However, Kildare finished the stronger and four unanswered points from the boots of the outstanding Lynch (a free), the equally outstanding Kelly (two from play), and a fisted score from sub Harry Redmond sealed a deserved win. They will now play Meath in the semi-final.
Scorers for Kildare: R Kelly 1-7 (2 2ptf), J Lynch 0-8 (1 2ptf, 2f), B Ryan 0-2 (2pt), C Moran, E Cowzer, H Redmond 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: W Scahill 0-8 (3 2ptf, 2f), C Rochford, D Maguire 1-0 each, M Thornton 0-2 (2pt), B Doyle, K Connell 0-1 each.
Kildare: Charlie Carroll; Cian McKevitt, Liam Kelly, Senan Gallagher; Calum Keaveney, Finn Dowling, Ben Ryan; Evan Boyle, Ruaidhrí Lawlor; Daniel Colbert, Colm Moran, Jimmy Lynch; Hugh Martin, Euan Cowzer, Ronan Kelly. Subs: Liam Kenny for Cowzer (temp, 16 to 22), Liam Kenny for McKevitt (44), Rob Murray for Cowzer (44), Cian Keaveney for Martin (55), Harry Redmond for Calum Keaveney (58), Luke Murray for Lynch (60+4).
Westmeath: James Mitchell; Taylor Slevin, Ty Masterson, Adam Glynn; Eoghan Daly, Cian Whitney, Brian Doyle; Kealan Connell, Criostóir Ormsby; Donnacha Maguire, Will Scahill, Mikey Weir; Matty Thornton, James McHugh, Cillian Rochford. Subs: Conor Daly for Weir (24), Henry Duncan for E Daly (h-t), Sean Whittaker for Doyle (h-t), Brian Ronan for McHugh (47), Hagan Niall for Maguire (55).
Ref: Ian Howley (Dublin).
