Dublin lose U21FC to Kildare

Kildare 1-08 Dublin 1-07

Dublin's disappointing run in the U21 championship continued on Saturday as they exited to Kildare in a wind swept Newbridge. Dublin started strongly with the wind with Paddy Andrews & Barry O'Rorke to the fore but a late Kildare goal in the 1st half saw the Lillies go in 1-04 to 0-05 ahead.

Dublin's cause was further hampered when Dermot Connolly received a 2nd yellow and the absence of the St. Vincents man's free taking skills would come back to haunt the Dubs. Using the wind & the ma advantage Kildare stretched out a 5 point lead but Jim Gavin's men showed great guts in fighting back. And then the "easy" frees were missed although the gusting winds made everything difficult. With Darren Daly, a 2nd half sub, leading from the h/b line & Paddy Andrews bustling a late Kevin Nolan goal gave the Dubs some hope. A minute later a free dropped into the square and flicked over the heads of the Kildare defence & narrowly over the bar for a point & there was only 1 in it. But the whistle blew & the Dubs were out.

It seems a very harsh way for the tournament to end for any team. A years effort & after 60 minutes it can be all over. Kildare's earlier game in the competition helped them enormously & one must wonder whether an open draw 32 team competition might be a fairer way to run this competition.

KILDARE - N McConnell; C Brophy, D Brennan, S Murphy; J Browne, G Whyte (0-01), T Byrne; M Waters (1-00) N Higgins; D Whyte, E O Flaitheartaigh (0-01)K Kelly; S Fahy, A Smith (0-04), G Smullen (0-01). Subs: J Fogarty for Higgins, M O'Sullivan (0-01), E O'Sullivan for Higgins, N Hurley-Lynch for Fahy, N Clinch for G Whyte.

DUBLIN - Philip Brogan (St. Oliver Plunketts); Alan Hubbard (Ballymun Kickhams), Tomas Brady (Na Fianna), Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna) (Hugh Gil (St. Vincents); Philip McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams), Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes) (1-01), Chris Guckian (St. Judes) (Darren Daly (Fingal Ravens)), Cian O'Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes), John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields) (Mark Loftus (St. Vincents)); Shane Ryan (Naomh Mearnog) (0-01), Dermot Connolly (St. Vincents), Chris Carthy (St. Maurs) (Dean Kelly (Trinity Gaels)); Barry O'Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes) (0-02), Paddy Andrews (St. Brigids (0-02), Ted Furman (Ballymun Kickhams) (0-01) (Eoin Kirby (Thomas Davis)).