Leinster Junior Football Championship Final: Kildare 2-17, Meath 2-15

Kildare recovered from a slow start to defeat Meath in an exciting Leinster Junior Football Championship final at Croke Park today.

Meath always held the lead in the opening half, but Kildare took control after the resumption and held out after their lead was reduced in the closing stages.

A Daire Rowe goal in the second minute, following Kevin Ross’s opening point after only 20 seconds, provided a perfect start for Meath.

Lively Kildare wing-forward David Malone soon got Kildare off the mark, but free-taker Rowe helped establish an early 1-5 to 0-2 lead for Meath.

Continuing this season’s trend of more and more goalkeepers contributing to the scoring, Kildare net-minder Declan Campbell floated over a ‘45’ and a 47 metre free.

Centre forward Peter O’Connell chipped in with three points for Meath and five points still separated the sides in the 25^th minute when Kildare substitute Eoghan Lawless broke through for a goal which cut their deficit to just 1-8 to 1-6.

But Meath finished the half strongly. Their goalkeeper Conor McHugh also converted a ‘45’, while Danny Quinn hit over a superb point as they enjoyed a 1-11 to 1-7 cushion after 30 minutes.

Kildare were a transformed side in the second half and fired over three points from Eoghan McMonagle, Conor Murray and Lawless. Keeping up the pressure, they went ahead for the first time with a 39^th minute goal from Mark Nolan.

Two more points followed for Kildare, but Meath weren’t dead yet and came back fighting through Kevin Ross, who converted a free and supplied their second goal.

Kildare, however, seized the initiative again through Conor Murray and a massive free by net-minder Campbell and although Meath did reduce the gap to just one with time running out, Declan Flaherty had the final say for Kildare who were delighted to accept the Cup in the Hogan Stand.

Scorers for Kildare: Eoghan Lawless 1-1, Barry Noone 0-4 (2f), Declan Campbell 0-3 (1 ’45 2f), Mark Nolan 1-0, Brian Travers 0-2, Conor Murray 0-2 (1f), David Malone 0-2, Graham Waters 0-1, Eoghan McMonagle 0-1, Declan Flaherty 0-1.

Scorers for Meath: Daire Rowe 1-3 (0-2f), Kevin Ross 1-3 (1f),  Peter O’Connell 0-3, Danny Quinn 0-3, Conor McHugh 0-1 (’45), John Keane 0-1, Sean Clarke 0-1.

KILDARE: Declan Campbell; Kevin Corrigan, Willie Burke, Cian Sharkey; Graham Waters, Eoghan McMonagle, Nathan Sherry; Liam Power, Brian Travers; David Malone, Mark Nolan, Kevin Foley; Conor Murray, Seamus Hanafin, Barry Noone. 

Subs: Eoghan Lawless for Kevin Foley (20), Tom Barron for Cian Sharkey (46), Tom Dore for Eoghan McMonagle (BC 48), Shane Maughan for Seamus Hanafin (52), Declan Flaherty for Barry Noone (52), Stephen O’Leary for Conor Murray (61).

MEATH: Conor McHugh; Ciaran O’Rourke, Cian McPartland, Michael Flood; Nicky Judge, Thomas O’Reilly; Conor Farrell, Kevin Traynor; Danny Quinn, Peter O’Connell, Cathal McConnell; Kevin Ross, Luke Martyn, Daire Rowe. 

Subs: John Keane for Thomas O’Reilly (35), Sean Clarke for Kevin Traynor (37), Ger Reidy for Michael Flood (38), Paul Lynch for Daire Rowe (47), Eamon O Donachada for Conor Farrell (52).

REFEREE: Darragh Sheppard (Dublin)