Leinster MFC: Late burst sees Kildare defeat Meath
Late goals do the trick for The Lilies
Two late goals from TJ Donoghue and Niall McAndrew helped Kildare to come from behind to record a 3-14 to 1-15 win over Meath in Round 2 of the Electric Ireland Leinster MFC, Group 3, Round 2 game, this evening at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Newbridge.
Meath led at the break by four points 0-10 to 0-6. However a Rory Thompson goal immediately after the break gave Kildare hope but Meath hit back quickly with three points, one two-pointer, followed by a Stephen Cahill goal to lead 1-13 to 1-8 after 43 minutes.
However, Kildare suddenly began to run at the opposition and it certainly paid off as they hit three points in a row followed by those two late goals that saw them over the line to record a win that looked unlikely up until that last quarter.
Kildare, at home, play Westmeath in a week's time in the final game in the group, while Meath play Longford.
Scorers: Kildare, Pauric Carthy 0-5 (two two-point frees), Rory Thompson 1-2 (1 free), Niall McAndrew 1-0, TJ Donoghue 1-0, Ollie Deller 0-2, Hugh Martin 0-2, Niall McAndrew 0-1, Cillian Long 0-1 (free), Turlough Donnelly 0-1 (free).
Meath, Charlie Gallagher 0-5 (one two-pointer, and one two-pointer free), Stephen Cahill 1-1, Adam McEvoy 0-3 (2 frees), Nathan Reilly 0-3 (1 free), Declan Byrne 0-1, Eoghan McCrearty 0-1, Will Byrne 0-1.
KILDARE: Jamie Wall (Round Towers); Dan Sargent (Eadestown), Niall McAndrew (Naas), Senan Gallagher (St Laurence's); Sean Gleeson (Round Towers), Charlie Cullen (Elistown), TJ Donoghue (Sarsfields); Calum Keaveny (Athy), Ollie Deller (Round Towers); Rian Curran (Raheens), Hugh Martin (Suncroft), Mark Travers, cpt (Naas); Pauric Carthy (Rathangan), Rory Thompson (Raheens), Charlie Doran (Clane). Subs: Turlough Donnelly (Kilcullen) for SeanGleeson (half-time); Cillian Long (Naas) for Rian Curran (half-time); Eoghan Lyons (Clane) for Rory Thompson (58 minutes).
MEATH: Kian Campbell; Charlie O'Connor, Conall O'Sullivan, Glen Callaghan; Tadhg Foley, Eoghan McBrearty cpt., Niall Lawless; Declan Byrne, Charlie Gallagher; Will Byrne, Cillian Murphy, Jeff Foley; Adam McEvoy, Stephen Cahill, Nathan Reilly. Subs: Robert Johnson for Jeff Foley (41 minutes); CJ Lynch for Stephen Cahill (48 minutes); Sean Delaney for Cillian Murphy (53 minutes): Max Condon for Tadhg Foley (57 minutes); Sean Smith for Declan Byrne (57 minutes).
REFEREE: James Foley.