Kildare and Cavan reach decider

A POWERFUL opening half from Kildare helped comfortably account for Dublin in their Leinster JFC semi-final at Parnell Park last night.

The visitors were given the perfect start when sloppy defending allowed wing-back Matt Kelly to race onto Paddy Dunne’s clever pass and crash a shot beyond David Downey.

Three unanswered points ensued from wing-forward Ciaran Kelly in the next four minutes as Kildare built a healthy six-point lead.

Dublin composed themselves and Gerry Seaver kicked a fine point in the 18th minute. However, Kildare finished the half in the ascendancy with points by Willie Heffernan, Tommy Moolick and Mikey Conway to lead 1-6 to 0-1 at the interval.

Dublin fell further behind four minutes after the restart when Darrock Mulhall pointed for Kildare but the Dubs showed spirit to reduce their deficit thanks to Seaver’s second point from play and a Harry Dawson free.

However, they couldn’t narrow the gap sufficiently with Mikey Conway adding a free and Kildare could even afford a missed penalty in injury time when Conway’s attempt was deflected over the bar.

Scorers for Kildare: M Kelly 1-0, C Kelly, M Conway (0-2, 0-1 pen) 0-3, W Heffernan, T Moolick, D mulhall 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: G Seaver 0-3 (0-1f), H Dawson (f), O McCann 0-1 each.

KILDARE: R Eyres; D McEvoy, C Fitzpatrick, O Lyons; M Kelly, J Doyle, J Brown; W Heffernan, P dunne; P Meagher, M Conway, C Kelly; D Mulhall, T Moolick, J Gately.

Subs: E Carew for Meagher and S Hurley for Moolick (47), C Murphy for Mulhall (59), A Nevin for Kelly (60).

DUBLIN: D Downey; R Pocock, B Hehir, J Sheanon; S Dunne, C O’Brien, G Dungan; S O’Connor, C Coady; R Croft, O McCann, G Seaver; H Dawson, M O’Driscoll, E Kinsella.

Subs: S Whyte for Dungan (24), J Noonan for Kinsella and P Turner for Croft (41), C McLoughlin for Dawson (47), G O’Reilly for O’Driscoll (51).

Referee: Damien Brazil (Offaly)

Cavan 0-13 Kilkenny 0-4

By John Knox

CAVAN were made work hard to shake off Kilkenny in the Leinster JFC semi-final in Nowlan Park yesterday.

Cavan led 0-5 to 0-2 at the break and held off a brief Kilkenny revival.

Scorers for Cavan: N. McKiernan (0-3); M. Brady, R. Maloney-Derham, D. Meehan, K. Fannin (0-2 each); J. Brady, R. McCormack (0-1 each). Scorers for Kilkenny: J. Culleton, R. Shore (0-1 each); P. Donnelly (0-1, free), D. Prendergast (0-1, free).

CAVAN: A. O’Mara, T. Hyland, S. McCormack, M. Brady, T. O’Reilly, R. Maloney-Derham, S. Jordan, N. McKiernan, E. King, K. Fannin, A. O’Reilly, D. Meehan, F. O’Reilly, J. O’Reilly, J. Brady.

Subs: B. Watters for F. O’Reilly; R. McCormack for A. O’Reilly; T. Wakely for E. King; C. Conroy for D. Meehan.

Kilkenny: J.J. O’Sullivan, D. Grennan, T. Kehoe, J. Mackey, S. Mahony, S. Kenny, P. Raftice, E. Vereker, M. Mahony, J. Culleton, M. Duggan, J. Fennelly, D. Prendergast, P. Donnelly, R. Shore.

Subs: C. Foran for M. Duggan; J.J. Grace for J. Fennelly; A. Mackey for S. Mahony; M. Saunders for J. Culleton; T. Maher for E. Vereker.

Referee: J. Hickey (Carlow).