Kildare 1-17 Sligo 0-12
Sligo saw their U20 football championship ambitions thwarted
by Kildare for the second year in a row this time at the final stage as in Cavan’s
Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday last.
The final margin of five points was rough on the Sligo side
who were within two points of the winners going into the final three minutes of
normal time, but a goal and a point in the space of 30 seconds took the game
away .
Kildare had the breeze behind them in the first half and started
art pace. A positional switch of big midfielder Sean Hanafin on the edge of the
square caused problems for the Sligo defence and he had one of four unanswered
points for the eventual winners before James Donlon opened the Sligo account in
the 11th minute.
Kildare continued to push forward and they doubled their tally
to lead 0-8 to 0-3 by the 25th minute with eight different scorers
on the board. The sides exchanged scores in the closing minutes of the half to
see a 0-9 to 0-4 half time score.
Sligo got themselves back into the contest early in the second
half with points from Dylan Walsh,. Free taker Luke Maren and substitute Brian
Byrne.
With the introduction of a few subs, Kildare hit back with three
consecutive points from Oisin O’Sullivan, Harry O’Neill and Adam Fanning to push
them five clear again.
Sligo weren’t giving up however and two points from Marren
and Byrne brought it back to a two point game with six minutes to go.
In the space of a minute Hanafin, turned over Sligo in the defence
before pointing and from the resultant kick out, substitute, Killian Browne
intercepted the kick out and lobbed the ball over the Sligo keeper and into the
net.
Kildare: Cormac Barker (0-1, f); Harry O'Neill (0-1),
Tomas Von Engelbrechten (0-1), Ryan Burke; James Harris, James McGrath, Jack
McKevitt; Niall Dolan (0-1), Shane Farrell (0-1); Ryan Sinkey (0-1), Callum
Bolton (0-2), Colm Dalton; Adam Fanning (0-3), Seán Hanafin (0-2), Oisín
O'Sullivan (0-2).
Subs: Eoin Cully (0-1)for O’Sullivan, 38; Ethan Mountaine
for Harris, 45; Killian Browne (1-1 )for Sinkey, 48; Sam Savage for Dolan, 56
Daire Guerin for Fanning, 60+2.
Sligo: Ethan Carden; Ross Chambers, Conor Johnston,
Luke Casserly; Dylan Walsh (0-1), Dylan McLoughlin, Rossa Sloyan; Conor
Sheridan, Ross Doherty; Ronan Niland, James Donlon (0-1), Mark McDaniel; Luke
Marren (0-7, 7fs), Daire O'Boyle (0-1), Matt Henry.
Subs: Joshua Flynn for Henry, 23; Zaak Mahon for Chambers,
h/t; Robert O’Kelly Lynch for McDaniel, h/t; Brian Byrne (0-2) for Flynn, 33;
Conor McMorrow for Donlon, 39.
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).