Tailteann Cup: Kildare overcome Fermanagh 

​Tailteann Cup semi-final

Kildare 1-13 (1-2-9) Fermanagh 0-9 (0-0-9)

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Seven years on from lighting up the 2018 All-Ireland U-20 final for Kildare, Croke Park was Brian McLoughlin's field of dreams all over again.

Substitute McLoughlin was only brought on in the 44th minute this time but somehow found a way to snipe five points and claim the Man of the Match award.

The scores were tied at 0-8 apiece with 15 minutes to go when McLoughlin took off with two single points followed by a sumptuous two-pointer, giving them a vital cushion for the run-in.

McLoughlin added another point in the closing minutes to set the seal on Kildare's first win at Croke Park in three years, securing their return for the July 12 Tailteann Cup final against Limerick.

It wasn't a classic encounter, mainly due to the torrential rain that fell in spells, though Kildare won't care with so much on the line for them.

A golden ticket back to the All-Ireland SFC in 2026 awaits the winners of the final.

James McGrath set the seal on Kildare's win with a trademark 69th minute goal, a left-footed blast similar to the one he scored against Offaly just last weekend.

The seven-point win in front of 13,960 probably flattered Kildare though with four goal chances created overall, aside from the one that McGrath took, and 14 wides registered, they were good value for the win.

Fermanagh will rue their inability to grab a vital goal. They had chances in the final quarter hour but a combination of Brian Byrne and Kevin Feely cleared off the line for Kildare in the 60th minute, and Josh Largo Ellis fired just over two minutes later for the Ernesiders.

Kildare were desperate to finally grab a win at Croke Park having lost their previous five games there, a tale of woe that stretched back to 2022.

In complete contrast, their preliminary quarter-final win over Offaly last Saturday was their sixth victory from six outings at the freshly redeveloped Cedral St Conleth's Park in Newbridge.

They hoped to ride that wave of momentum on the bigger stage and did hit the interval with a 0-7 to 0-6 lead though conditions were difficult and mitigated against any sort of free flowing encounter.

Both sides did their best but with rain spilling down for much of the opening half, avoiding handling errors and just retaining possession was a job in itself.

Kildare captain Kevin Feely kicked the team's 29th two-pointer of the season in the sixth minute.

Fermanagh goalkeeper Sean McNally argued that he got a glove to the ball before it went over the crossbar, which would have reduced it to a single pointer, though the orange flag was raised.

That one went Feely's way but he winced five minutes later when he gobbled up a loose ball after a high delivery into the danger area and smashed it back off the Fermanagh crossbar.

Earlier, Colm Dalton had a shot at the Fermanagh goal blocked by Ronan McCaffrey while Daniel Flynn slalomed through the Ulster side's defence and fired just over in the 16th minute.

Dalton struck two points and Darragh Kirwan was on the mark too as the Lilywhites held the lead for the majority of the opening half.

Conor Love was Fermanagh's most potent attacker. He came into the contest with 2-13 from four games and added two first-half points. He was a constant threat, jinking this way and that and always trying to get a shot away off his left boot.

He displayed a terrific piece of skill just before half-time when he gathered up a loose ball with his foot and Declan McCusker finished off the move with a point.

Both sides struggled with the conditions in a forgettable third quarter.

Kildare dominated the possession stakes but struck just a single point, from Daniel Flynn, in the first 15 minutes of the second-half, compared to seven wides.

One of those wides came from the boot of Tommy Gill who capitalised on a great fetch earlier by Feely, creating a goal chance that he couldn't convert.

Fermanagh sub Sean Cassidy levelled it up at 0-8 apiece in the 51st minute, leaving Lilywhite fans wondering if another Croke Park loss awaited them.

But they finally found a way to turn possession into points, a little like Limerick did in the earlier semi-final with a similar strong finish.

McLoughlin stole the show having only come on in the 44th minute and he will hope to stay in the team for the final.

McGrath's late goal, remarkably, was his third in a row for Kildare having also netted against Sligo in their final group game.

Scorers for Kildare: Brian McLoughlin 0-5 (1 tp), James McGrath 1-0, Colm Dalton 0-2, Kevin Feely 0-2 (1 tp), Daniel Flynn 0-2, Alex Beirne 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 0-1.

Scorers for Fermanagh: Conor Love 0-2, Darragh McGurn 0-1, Ryan Lyons 0-1, Joe McDade 0-1, Declan McCusker 0-1, Fionan O'Brien 0-1, Sean Cassidy 0-1, Josh Largo Ellis 0-1.

Kildare: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Mark Dempsey, Kevin Flynn; Brian Byrne, David Hyland, James McGrath; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Tommy Gill, Alex Beirne, Colm Dalton; Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn.

Subs: Brian McLoughlin for Sinkey 44, Jack McKevitt for Kevin Flynn 44, Niall Kelly for Kirwan 63, Aaron Masterson for Gibbons 66.

Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Lee Cullen, Oisin Smyth; Shane McGullion, Declan McCusker, Jonathan Cassidy; Joe McDade, Darragh McGurn; Fionan O'Brien, Ryan Lyons, Ronan McCaffrey; Josh Largo Ellis, Garvan Jones, Conor Love.

Subs: Sean Cassidy for Jones h/t, Conor McGee for McCaffrey 50, Aogam Kelm for McCusker 56, Jack Largo Ellis for O'Brien 66, Che Cullen for McGullion 68.

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).