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Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kildare pip Offaly to book Tailteann Cup semi-final
Tailteann Cup quarter-final: Kildare 1-17 Offaly 0-19 Revenge was sweet for Kildare who got the better of Offaly at the third time of asking to secure their Tailteann Cup semi-final place. Brian Flanagan's side previously lost to Offaly in the Division 3 league final and earlier again in the group stage. But seven points from in-form attacker Alex Beirne, who now has 2-30 for the tournament, and a crucial goal from James McGrath, propelled the hosts to a hugely significant win in Newbridge. Ryan Sinkey and Darragh Kirwan split six points evenly between them also as Kildare reached the last four of the tier two competition for the first time. They were pushed all the way by a game Offaly side who cut a seven-point deficit with 21 minutes to go to just one late on. Offaly even had a two-point attempt in the fifth minute of stoppage time to win it but Cillian Bourke's attempt flew wide. It all means that Offaly's season is over while Kildare will progress to Monday morning's draw for the semi-finals which will take place next weekend at Croke Park. On a wet pitch with intermittent downpours, the physicality was off the scale throughout as the Leinster neighbours met for the third time this year. Colm Dalton is tackled by David Dempsey of Offaly. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile Offaly won the previous two meetings by six and two-point margins but ran into a Kildare side in better form this time. The Lilywhites were one of only two teams in the competition to reach the knock-out stage with a perfect record. They blitzed Leitrim and Tipperary before blasting 4-19 beyond Sligo to advance directly to the quarter-finals. But this was always likely to be their toughest test of the campaign and the lead swung over and back throughout. Kildare had it first after clipping three of the game's first four points, from Sinkey, captain Kevin Feeley and Darragh Kirwan. Offaly responded with points from Keith O'Neill and Cathal Flynn, the latter a two-pointer, to move 0-5 to 0-3 ahead themselves. And so the terms of engagement were set. Next came the Kildare goal, from McGrath, which had the splendidly appointed new main stand rocking. Athy man McGrath took off on a stunning solo run towards goal from the right wing before rifling a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Paddy Dunican. Jack Bryant, Kildare's destroyer in the Division 3 league final at Croke Park, hit back for Offaly with a point and Daire McDaid added another. But Beirne's first point of the game left Kildare 1-7 to 0-8 up at half-time. It was more of the same after the break, Kildare firstly striding confidently clear with Beirne coming alive and kicking a two-pointer to nudge them 1-13 to 0-9 lead. Then Offaly hit back with five unanswered points - including two Jordan Hayes two-pointers - to cut the deficit right back again. They were neck and neck all the way until full-time Kirwan, Beirne and O'Grady grabbing the vital Kildare scores to keep them just about ahead all the way. Offaly did have a 75th minute attempt to win it when young Tullamore star Bourke took a pot shot at glory from outside the arc but his two-point attempt flew wide. Scorers for Kildare: A Beirne 0-7 (1 tp, 0-2f), J McGrath 1-0, R Sinkey 0-3, D Kirwan 0-3, K Feeley 0-1, D Flynn 0-1, D Hyland 0-1, M O'Grady 0-1. Scorers for Offaly: J Hayes 0-4 (2 tp), P Dunican 0-3 (1tp, 0-1 45) K O'Neill 0-2, C Flynn 0-2 (tp), D Hyland 0-2 (0-1f), S Tierney 0-2 (0-1f), J Furlong 0-1 (0-1m), J Bryant 0-1, D McDaid 0-1, C Bourke 0-1. KILDARE: C Burke; H O'Neill, M Dempsey, R Burke; T Gill, D Hyland, J McGrath; K Feely, B Gibbons; B Byrne, A Beirne, C Dalton; R Sinkey, D Flynn, D Kirwan. Subs: N Kelly for Sinkey 54, K Flynn for Gill 55, M O'Grady for Gibbons 58, J McKevitt for Dempsey 63, B McLoughlin for Kirwan 72. OFFALY: P Dunican; L Pearson, D Dempsey, D McDaid; A Bracken, J Furlong, C Egan; J McEvoy, J Hayes; K Higgins, C Flynn, C Bourke; D Hyland, J Bryant, K O'Neill. Subs: R McNamee for Higgins 42, S Tierney for Bryant 54, R Egan for Pearson 68. Referee: T Murphy (Galway). Read More Fermanagh reach Tailteann Cup semi final for the first time after narrow win against Sligo
Irish Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
All Star on relief of Louth reaching Leinster final as Meath rivalry reignites
Craig Lennon says that Louth were determined not to take a 'backwards step' against Kildare after the huge strides of recent years Languishing in Division Four as recently as 2021, Louth have just completed a third season in Division Two and, having only reached one Leinster final between 1960 and 2023, are now into their third successive provincial decider after seeing off the Lilywhites in Tullamore on Sunday. Added to that, they reached the All-Ireland quarter-final stage for the first time last year, but the threat of the Tailteann Cup hung over them going into Sunday's game, as a Kildare win would have seen Brian Flanagan's side into the All-Ireland series at Louth's expense. 'There was a lot on the line,' admitted Lennon. 'You lose, you're in Tailteann Cup, which is a backwards step from where we were last year in an All-Ireland quarter-final for the first time. 'Yeah, there was a lot on the line; another chance at a Leinster Championship and another chance at an All-Ireland. Whether we beat them by 20 points or a point, there was going to be a lot of relief.' Lennon was central to the victory having missed the bulk of the League with a quad injury and the All Star's quality shone through as he notched 0-4 from wing-back. 'In terms of timeline, I knew I'd be back for around this time, I just looked forward to it. I had never done the quad before so I was sore in training but I thought I was fine, I thought it was just tight, went for it against Roscommon in the first two minutes. 'It happens in sport, maybe in hindsight I shouldn't have played, but that's football.' Goalkeeper Niall McDonnell was also heroic, making outstanding saves to deny Ryan Sinkey and Darragh Kirwan. 'I got asked after one of the games last year, he's the best shot-stopper I've ever seen,' gushed Lennon. 'He is unbelievable. Darragh Kirwan, one of the best forwards in the country, and a point-blank save right towards the end of the game there. The value he brings is unbelievable, thank God we have him.' There was confusion at the end of the game as Kildare sought a match-saving goal, with Lennon booting the ball over his own endline after the hooter had sounded - but referee Brendan Griffin allowed the 45, and a subsequent one, to be taken, correctly as it turned out. 'The hooter had went, the ball fell into my hands, and I was just going to kick it out anyway. The lads were shouting to kick it out. I kicked it over the end line, they get the 45 and drop it in, it actually hits off my foot and goes out for another 45. Then, thankfully it just went wide at the end, it was tight.' The result means that Louth have reached three successive Leinster finals for the first time since 1912-14, another landmark achievement, but that would be dwarfed if they were to beat neighbours Meath to take a first title since 1957 on May 11. 'We've come a long way,' said Lennon. 'There was some sort of graphic put up on social media in terms of the four teams playing in semi-finals, that we had the least amount of Leinster final appearances. Just trying to change the script I suppose, we're heading in the right direction.'
