Kildare reap rewards as Meath forget how to finish

Kildare 0-15

It was all the more ironic that Kildare should be guided back to another Leinster football final by a manager who readily admitted learning valuable lessons while teaching in the Royal county!

After just twelve minutes play, a rampant Meath had notched up 1-3, the goal coming from a perfectly placed Trevor Giles penalty.

During that period they created the first of five goal chances when Kelly was hauled down by Anthony Rainbow outside the small square.

Padraig Nolan Mick O'Dwyer's successor and former Offaly coach felt, however, that plenty of time remained.

"When you keep playing the way you are supposed to play, anything can happen. The game is never over 'til the finish," he said, adding: "I suppose there's no guessing where I learned that!"

By the end of the first quarter, when they had scored the first three of a remarkable ten points without reply, Kildare were in the initial stages of a recovery prompted by the powerful play of team captain Anthony Rainbow and midfielder Killian Brennan.

They had also been inspired by an excellent save, by goalkeeper Enda Murphy from John Cullinane, and a goal-line stop, by corner-back Andrew McLoughlin.

Much tighter marking in defence severely limited Giles and Geraghty down the centre and boosted Kildare considerably up front.

More pertinently, strong play from John Doyle, Ronan Sweeney and Tadhg Fennin enabled them to fully capitalise on some quality ball to a degree not normally expected from Kildare teams.

Nolan elaborated on his approach, saying the priority had been to get 'quick' ball into their full-forward line. "It's something that works some days.

"You have to be patient. The lads are trying to do it and we're making a bit of progress. To put this in perspective, that was Meath's third match. They were flat and still nearly pulled it off."

In contrast to their confident, all-embracing team-play at the start, Meath looked quite disorganised and vulnerable as Kildare monopolised the second quarter.

Allied to superb finishing, it saw them end the half with 0-11 and Meath failing to add to the 1-3 tally they had accumulated by the 12th minute.

Typically, Meath came storming back, benefiting from a reasonably strong wind.

However, progress was slow over the third quarter because the opposition challenge was still strong with Mick Wright to the forefront at half-back.

Kildare lost the opportunity to go seven points clear in the 47th minute when an improved Stuart McKenzie Smith at full-forward blazed wide from a good position.

They came under greater pressure after Meath achieved a greater return from their scoring efforts to draw level by the 62nd minute.

Still, it was a struggle for scores at times because of the excellent covering of the Kildare backs, with late substitute Glen Ryan making a contribution.

In the circumstances, the only Meath forward to threaten regularly during this period was Daithi Regan in the right corner but he was the one who kicked an angled free wide in the last minute.

That was after the influential Doyle had kicked over what turned out to be the winning score from a free six minutes earlier.

Sean Boylan refused to blame his team's defeat on the exertions of their games with Westmeath, but wasn't entirely pleased with the display.

"We should have played better. We should have maybe scored more, but Kildare didn't let us," he said.

"We have learned a lot over the years, that unless you put them away, they don't matter. But, let's not take from Kildare, a great team, very well prepared and they scored great scores."

*Michael Hughes' refereeing did not impress; He missed far too many obvious frees and didn't card players when he should have!

Scorers: Kildare J. Doyle 0-4 (0-3 frees), P. Murray 0-3 (0-2 frees), R. Sweeney, A. Rainbow and T. Fennin 0-2 each; A. Barry and S. McKenzie Smyth 0-1 each.

Meath: T. Giles 1-2 frees, D. Regan 0-5 (0-2 frees), H. Traynor 0-2; G. Geraghty and C. McCarthy 0-1 each.

KILDARE: E. Murphy, B. Lacey, D. Lyons, A. McLoughlin, M Wright, K. Ennis, A. Rainbow (capt), A. Barry, K. Brennan, P. Murray, J. Doyle, R. Sweeney, D. McCormack, S. McKenzie Smyth, T. Fennin.

Subs: D. Hendy for Lacey (injured, second half), P. Hurley for Barry (57th minute), K. Donnelly for McKenzie Smyth (61st), G. Ryan for Ennis (62nd), E. McCormack for Murray (70th).

MEATH: C. Sullivan, N. McKeigue, D. Fay (capt), C. Murphy; P. Reynolds, T. O'Connor, H. Traynor, J. Cullinane, C. McCarthy, E. Kelly, T. Giles, S. McKeigue; D. Regan, G. Geraghty, D. Crimmins.

Subs: R. Kealy for McKeigue and N. Nestor for Cullinane (50th minute), R. Magee for Crimmins(68th).

Referee: M. Hughes (Tyrone).

*Attendance: 29,630.