Kildare survive late scare to advance in Leinster U20
Thriller as Lilies withstand Laois rally
This Leinster U20 Leinster Football Championship U20 quarter final at Hawkfield COE, Newbridge, saw Kildare lose a first half nine point lead, after opening brilliantly with goals from Dean O'Donoghue and Daniel Lynam but still led at the break 2-9 to 2-5. The visitors getting back into the game with two stunning goals inside a minute from Davin McEvoy and Paddy Hosey, to bring that lead back to manageable proportions.
However in the second half The Lilies again pulled clear again and mid-way through led 2-14 to 2-6, at that stage Laois had only rasied one white flag in the second half.
But hitting 1-3 in a blistering five minute spell the difference was back to two points.
Kildare steadied the ship with a fine point but then picked up a black card with five minutes remaining.
Two points had the margin back to a single point before Eoin Bagnall, who converted five excellent frees, edged Kildare two clear as we entered time added on.
Deep into injury time a miss-placed clearance put Oisin Hooney in on goal but with the goal at his mercy he missed the target, pushing his goal attempt left and wide as the final whistle arrived, Kildare winning on a final score line of Kildare 2-16 Laois 3-11.
Scorers: Kildare, Daniel Lynam 1-1, Dean O'Donoghue 1-0, Eoin Bagnall 0-5 (5 frees), Adam Fanning 0-4, Darragh Swords 0-2, Harry O'Neill 0-1, Niall O'Regan 0-1, Ryan O'Neill 0-1, Shane Farrell 0-1
Laois, Shaun Fitzpatrick 1-1, Paddy Hosey 1-1, Davin McEvoy 1-0, Colin Dunne 0-6 (5 frees), Daragh Carolan 0-1, Rioghan Murphy 0-1, Brian Whelan 0-1.
KILDARE: Cormac Barker (Kilcullen): Harry O'Neill (Clane), Dean O'Donoghue (Celbridge), Mark Maguire (Naas); Tom Martin (Suncroft), James McGrath (Athy), Tommy Gill (Carbury); Brendan Gibbons (Kilcock), Luke Killian (Sallins); Niall O'Regan (Celbridge), Daniel Lynam (Caragh), Adam Fanning (Clane); Darragh Swords (Caragh), Shane Farrell (Kilcock), Eoin Bagnall (Allenwood). Subs: Aedan Boyle (Clogherinkoe) for Tom Martin (30 minutes); Jack McKevitt (Naas) for James McGrath (54 minutes); James Dalton (Sallins) for Niall O'Regan (54minutes); Ryan Burke (Caragh) for Adam Fanning (55 minutes); Cian Shanahan (Clane) for Daniel Lynam (60 minutes).
LAOIS: Conor Brown; Ben Reddin, Eamonn Delaney, Ben Dempsey; Sean Greene, Simon Fingleton, Conor Heffernan; Ciaran Burke, Kevin Swayne; Rioghan Murphy, Davin McEvoy, Shaun Fitzpatrick; Paddy Hosey, Darragh Carolan, Colin Dunne. Subs: Danny Brennan for Ben Reddin (27 minutes); Oising Hooney for David McEvoy (40 minutes); Darragh Slavin for Ciaran Burke (44 minutes); Brian Whelan for Paddy Hosey (52 minutes); Conor Goode for Darragh Carolan.
REFEREE: Fintan Pierce, Offaly.