Dominant Sallins crowned Kildare Intermediate Football Champions

Sallins 1-19

St Laurence's 0-12

Sallins have been crowned the 2025 National Electrical Wholesalers Kildare Intermediate Football Champions after a win over St Laurence's.

It was start as you mean to go on for Sallins who opened the scoring in this final after 20 seconds when Cian Grimes, after Daragh Mangan won possession from throw-in, cut inside and fired over a beautiful two-pointer with the breeze at his back. Grimes let everyone know how he felt about it too and let out a roar in celebration.

There was something of a chasm after Grimes’ early opener with the more natural Championship decider jitters setting in resulting in two wides from each.

Sallins were next on the scoresheet in the ninth minute through Colm Dalton after Mangan burst through two retreating Larries men and smartly handed off possession. 

Luke Kelly put the leading side five clear two minutes later with a comfortably-struck two-pointer after Colm Dalton attracted all the defensive attention before recycling the ball back out to the unmarked Kelly.

It was like Matchplay Darts for Sallins in the first with their doubles oh so crucial. Cian Grimes fired over his second and his side’s third, from a free this time, to give them an 0-7 to no score lead after 13 minutes.

Larries were coughing up possession all too often and were being punished for it. After giving up the ball again during a benign attacking effort, Sallins burst up the pitch and Stephen Kelly rounded off the move. Sallins were running directly at Larries at every available opportunity.

TJ Nolan got Larries’ first point of this final in the 17th minute when he broke through a green and white challenge before chipping the ball over the bar off the deck.

Sallins answered with their fourth two-pointer of the first half, this time through Colm Dalton.

TJ Nolan was again the man to pick up Larries’ second point with his mazy dribbling and skill on show again. Nolan’s second meant Larries trailed 0-10 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.

Stephen Kelly extended that advantage further at the other end by knocking over a free, which he earned himself.

Larries did put together two scores back-to-back in the 25th minute after Mark Glynn, who had an exceptional first half in midfield for the trailing side, set up Joe Hanamy for the first. Felix Lawler got the second when Larries’ broke away from a Sallins penalty shout which was waved away moments earlier.

The final white flag of the opening half would be raised by the leading side however when Stephen Kelly, yet again, used his sharp movement to find space and fired over for his third point.

Kelly’s score in the 27th minute sent Sallins in at half-time with an 0-12 to 0-4 lead.

The future champions reassumed control after the break and dominated possession with the wind now in their faces.

That being said, Larries got the opening score of the half with the pace of this game much reduced. Joe Hanamy was the man to get it but it would be his side’s last for 10 minutes while Sallins extended their advantage in a crucial stretch. 

Alan Marshall got Sallins’ first of the half in the 40th minute with a close-range score, which was quickly followed by a Luke Killian point after he spun his man and slotted one between the posts.

Colm Dalton was again the man propelling Sallins forward with a lethal dose of speed and power in possession which finished with another point for his team in the 45th minute.

It was now a seemingly insurmountable 10-point lead which was added to a couple of minutes later by Sallins’ first goal to decide this contest indefinitely. Stephen Kelly took aim at the posts once again but this time saw his effort drop short and slapped unconvincingly clear by the Larries’ stopper. Cian McConnon was on hand to slap the loose ball into the net to make this game 1-15 to 0-5 after 47 minutes.

Larries reduced the margin with a couple of fine two-pointers through Felix Lawler and Ruaidhri Lawlor.

Sallins remained in the ascendency with the trailing side, to their credit, battling to the very end. Cian Grimes’ fifth point in the 56th minute put them 10 clear once again before back-to-back Larries points reduced the gap.

However, Sallins maintained their record of winning every game in this Championship by at least 10 points with two late points from one of the players of the match Colm Dalton.

Dalton’s late score left his team 1-19 to 0-12 ahead at full-time after which they were deservedly crowned Kildare Intermediate Football Champions.

Sallins, Colm Dalton 0-6 (one 2pt, 0-1 frees), Cian Grimes 0-5 (0-2 frees,one 2pt, one 2pt free), Stephen Kelly 0-3 (0-1 frees), Eoin McConnon 1-0, Luke Kelly 0-2 (one 2pt), Alan Marshall 0-1, Luke Killian 0-1, Paul Farrelly 0-1.

St Laurence's, Felix Lawler 0-3 one (2pt), Ruaidhri Lawler 0-3 (one 2pt), TJ Nolan 0-3 (0-1 frees), Joe Hanamy 0-2, Senan Murphy 0-1.

SALLINS: Matthew Farrelly; Ruairi O'Domhnaill, Mark Moynihan, Sean O'Domhnaill; Luke Kelly, Eoin McConnon, Glen McEvoy; Daragh Mangan, Paul Farrelly; Cian Grimes, Colm Dalton, Luke Killian; Stephen Kelly, Emmet Ralph, James Dalton. Subs: Alan Marshall for Emmet Ralph (15 minutes), Emmet Ralph for Paul Farrelly (53 minutes), Sean Conway for Cian Grimes (58 minutes), Aaron Carney for Glen McEvoy (60 minutes), Conor Dalton for Mark Moynihan (63 minutes).

ST LAURENCES: Paul Clynch; Luke Gorman, Ciaran O'Sullivan, Ian Fleming; Niall Clynch, David O'Driscoll, Niall O'Connor; Mark Glynn, TJ Nolan; Kevin Eustace, Ruaidhri Lawlor, Tom Dooley; Felix Lawler, Joe Hanamy, Adam Steed. Subs: Oisin Grufferty for Ian Fleming (20 minutes), Dylan O'Dwyer for Adam Steed (49 minutes), Senan Murphy for David O'Driscoll (49 minutes), Cian Miley for Kevin Eustace (51 minutes), Eoghan Glancy for Joe Hanamy (56 minutes).

Referee: Frank Delaney

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