Minors hit turbos to end Lily challenge

DUBLIN 2-16 KILDARE 1-8

A powerful second half saw Dublin booked their place in the Leinster MFC decider following this semi-final victory in St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge on Wednesday night.

The young Dubs will face Meath (2.0) in the curtain-raiser on Sunday week to the meeting of the same two counties in the senior final.

The sides were level 1-5 to 0-8 at half-time and Kildare actually edged in front inside the first minute of the second half before Dublin took control to run out impressive winners.

Conor McHugh’s superb 36th minute goal was the catalyst – when he weaved inside the Kildare cover before placing his shot under the advancing Colin Heaney to put Dublin 1-9 to 1-6 clear and Dessie Farrell’s men never looked back.

After that the Dubs played with greater invention and purpose as Kildare seemed to tire as the half progressed.

Dublin’s second goal arrived ten minutes from time when the in-form Cormac Costello worked his way in along the endline before applying the killer blow.

Over the concluding 26 minutes Dublin outscored Kildare by 2-10 to 0-2 and in fact had the Dubs shown a more clinical poaching instinct around goal they could have prevailed by a greater margin as Kildare keeper, Colin Heaney, denied Shane Cunningham and Conor McHugh (in first half) as well as the hard-working Niall Scully in the second half while McHugh blasted a last minute penalty wide of the goal.

Dublin’s work-rate and tackling was high all game long while at the back David Byrne, aided by his defence, ensured that big full-forward Paddy Brophy was not allowed wield his usual influence on proceedings.

SCORERS – Dublin: C Costello 1-5 (0-2f), C McHugh 1-3, N Scully 0-3, N Walsh 0-2, R Gaughan, S Carthy (‘45’), Shane Cunningham 0-1 each.  Kildare: N Flynn 1-1, N Kelly, P Brophy 0-2, M Sherry, W Fitzpatrick, R Fitzgibbon 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: L Molloy; E Mullan, D Byrne, R McGowan; E Lowndes, C Mulally, M Mac Donncha; Stephen Cunningham, S Carthy; R Gaughan, G Burke, N Walsh; C McHugh, C Costello, N Scully. Subs: Shane Cunningham for Gaughan (25), E Fletcher for Mac Donncha (52), D Gormley for Walsh (56), J Fitzgibbon for Mulally (61).
KILDARE: C Heaney; P Mescall, E Mahon, S O’Hagan; R Houlihan, D Hyland, D Duke; M Sherry, P Connell; S O’Flynn, N Kelly, W Fitzpatrick; C Healy, P Brophy, N Flynn. Subs: T O’Connell for O’Hagan (38), C McMonagle for O’Flynn (42), K Mulhall for Mescall (48), R Fitzgibbon for Healy (48), O Gill for Sherry (55).
REF: D Gough (Meath).