Maynooth reach Minor 'A' Championship Final with dramatic late win over Clane

Maynooth 3-11

Clane 2-12

Maynooth are into the 2025 Manguard Plus Kildare Minor Football A Championship following their victory over Maynooth in Manguard Park, Hawkfield.

Clane opened the scoring in the third minute when Eoghan Lyons found acres of space and comfortably curled over. Clane had a significant sense of urgency, needing to take advantage of the strong wind at their backs.

Parity was restored in the seventh minute when Liam McDonald punched a hole in the Clane back-line while both teams tried to navigate a messy start to this game.

Two minutes later and McDonald was in again in much the same way. This time, instead of fisting over the bar, the Maynooth midfielder blasted the ball into the top corner with the Clane stopper rooted to his spot.

Robert Lynch brought the gap back to two and a minute later he hit the net to fire his side in front. It was lightning play through the hands from the boys in white as Aidan Maddock found Niall Vizzard who set up Lynch to rise highest and pat the ball down into the net.

Leading 1-2 to 1-1 after 15 minutes, Clane took command of this game.

Aidan Maddock extended that lead before back-to-back Robert Lynch two-pointers put some distance between these sides.

Clane looked set to take an impressive lead in at the break after Niall Vizzard made this a seven-point game.

However, two minutes into added time Maynooth got a goal which felt as crucial as it ended up being at the time. At the end of a swift counter-attack, Brian Caffrey finished low into the net off the post.

A further Clane point in response meant these teams went in at the break at 1-9 to 2-1.

Within seven minutes of the restart Maynooth were level. 

Points from Jamie Flood and Liam McDonald were followed by four scores in a row from Paddy Ryan, including a two-pointer.

Maynooth were three clear by the 45th minute and it would be another two before Clane got their first score of the second half.

Joseph Finn was the man to get it and his point made this game 2-9 to 1-10 in the 47th minute.

Clane got their lead back five minutes later when they grabbed their second goal. Jack O’Dea sent a long ball into the forward line that was missed by all and bounced into the net.

That lead was short-lived and two minutes later Brian Caffrey was standing over a penalty after Evan Dunne cleaned out Maynooth substitute Jamie Flood who was through on goal.

Caffrey struck the crossbar but gathered the rebound and got his second goal of the afternoon.

Clane levelled this back and forth game at 3-9 to 2-12 with consecutive points from midfielders Robert Lynch and Eoghan Lyons.

Liam McDonald got the all important point for Maynooth on the hour mark to give them the lead that they would never relinquish. Paddy Ryan got the game’s final score as his side finished as 3-11 to 2-12 winners in Manguard Park.

Maynooth, Brian Caffrey 2-1, Liam McDonald 1-3, Paddy Ryan 0-6 (0-5 frees, one 2pt free), Jamie Flood 0-1.

Clane, Robert Lynch 1-6 (0-3 frees, one 2pt free, one 2pt), Jack O'Dea 1-0, Eoghan Lyons 0-3, Aidan Maddock 0-1, Jack Grealish 0-1, Joseph Finn 0-1.

MAYNOOTH: Diarmuid Flynn; Conall Knox, Harry Egan, Ciarán Ward; Brian Caffrey, Jerry Molloy, Aaron Larkin; Oran Byrne, Liam McDonald; Hugh Reilly, Paddy Ryan, Ciarán Dunne; Cillian Price, Cillian Madden, Finn Geraghty. Subs: Jamie Flood for Jerry Molloy (Half-time), Fiachra Martin for Finn Geraghty (49 minutes), Joseph McNulty for Harry Egan (61 minutes).

CLANE: Evan Dunne; Daragh McAneney, Jack O' Dea, Charlie Doran; Daniel Connell, Samuel Farrell, Joseph Finn; Robert Lynch, Eoghan Lyons; Jack Grealish, Aidan Maddock, Niall Vizzard; Zach Devey, Sean McGinn, Tommy Conlon. Subs: Jack Doran for Daragh McAneney (45 minutes), Alex Duffy for Niall Vizzard (50 minutes), Rory Og Maguire for Samuel Farrell (55 minutes), Eoghan Little for Daniel Connell (64 minutes).

Referee: Frank Delaney

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