Kildare 2-15 Longford 3-8

Leaving Cert student Emmet O’Keeffe kicked the winning point as Kildare came from seven points down at half time against old rivals Meath to snatch a place in the Leinster junior football final in a pulsating semi-final at St Conleth’s Park.

Winning the Division 2 league title may have been perceived outside of the camp as being important to Kildare’s continuing development but it was never viewed as such by the players or management.