Kildare get past Laois in Minor Championship opener
It was comfortable enough in the end for The Lilies who emerged victorious over Laois in Round 1 of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship
Kildare opened their account in the Electric Ireland Leinster MFC, Group 1 Rd 1 game at Laois Hire O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, this evening (Tuesday 24 March) coming away with a well-deserved win by six points, but it could have been closer after Sean Maree saw his penalty come off the cross bar in 51 minute, who was then given a black card, joining Kildare's Ryan Crawford off for the same offence.
While Laois opened the scoring through Eoghan Harris, it was the visitors who dominated the early stages as the rain came down in sheets, with points from Jack Reilly and Adhrán Bergin before Jack Reilly was fouled inside and he duly dispatched the spot kick himself to make it 1-2 to 0-1 after seven minutes.
The next two points were shared before Jack Kelly and Greg Kelly extended the lead for The Lilies.
Laois hit back with the two final points of the half from Cian Murphy and an excellent dispatched 45 from centre-back Fionnan Brennan to leave the half-time score reading Kildare 1-6 Laois 0-4.
Kildare added two points on the resumption before Laois came back to reduce the lead to five on 48 minutes. Then the black cards, and the penalty miss as Kildare ran out reasonably comfortable winners on a final score line of Kildare 1-12 Laois 0-9.
Scorers: Kildare, Jack Reilly 1-5 (penalty, 1 two-point free), Greg Kelly 0-3 (1 free), Aodhán Bergin 0-4 (4 frees).
Laois, Fionnan Brennan 0-1 (45), Cian Murphy 0-1, Eoghan Harris 0-1, Ethan Neilon 0-3 (3 frees), Sean Maree 0-1, Oisin Gilligan 0-1.
KILDARE: Joe Crotty (St Kevin's); Eoin Markey (Kill), Ryan Crawford (Kilcock), Liam Mescal (Eadestown); Fionn Lawlor (St Laurence's), Oisin McAfee (Raheens), Luke Shanahan (Sallins); Charlie Doran(Clane), Páidi Ryan Round Towers); Jamie Flood (Maynooth), Aidan Tobin (Allenwood), Eoghan Lyons (Clane); Jack Reilly (Kill), Greg Kelly (Castledermot), Aidhán Bergin (Grangenolvin). Subs: Jamie Wolfe (Moorefield) for Aidan Tobin (47 minutes); Donnacha Conway (Athy) for Jamie Flood (54 minutes); Harry Feely (Naas) for Páidí Ryan (58 minutes); Logan Tennyson (St Kevin's) for David Timmons (61 minutes).
LAOIS: Mark Dowling; Dan Downey, Cillin Hoey, Darragh Brennan; Will Craig, Fionnan Brennan, Will McGrath; Eoghan Lalor, Cian Murphy; Thomas Lawler, Eoghan Harris, David Timmons; Sean Maree, Aaron Mackey, Ethan Neilon. Subs: Oisin Gilligan for Will Mcgrath (42 minutes); Orran Langton for Tom Lawler (42 minutes); Senan O'Brien for Eoghan Harris (47 minutes); Killian McLernon for David Timmons (47 minutes); Nisan Balugan for Fionnan Brennan (59 minutes).
REFEREE: James Foley, Carlow.