Super sub Danny O'Keefe guides Athy to Kildare SFC glory

Athy's David Hyland lifts the cup. Picture: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

Kildare SFC: Athy 1-11 Moorefield 0-12

Danny O’Keefe was the Athy hero after he scored a decisive 54th-minute goal as Athy beat Moorefield to lift their first Kildare SFC title since 2011.

An injury to star forward Niall Kelly seemed a hammer blow to Athy’s hopes at a time when Moorefield were coming on strongly but it was his replacement O’Keefe who ended the game’s hero after he scored 1-1 in the final stages.

O’Keefe was sent clear by a clever flick from James Eaton and held his nerve to score the most important goal of his life.

It was a story of goal chances because although Athy were the better side overall and deserving winners by the end, Moorefield will look back with regret over three missed goal chances. Liam Callaghan shot wide from a great position in the first half, Ciaran Kelly struck a post in the second from a similar as where O’Keefe scored from and then Eanna O’Connor was denied by an excellent save from James Roycroft.

All those chances came before Athy fashioned their first chance of a goal but when their moment arrived, O’Keefe finished with a aplomb and once back in the lead they never it go.

Athy had started the game brilliantly and with the wind at their backs scored the first four points of the game inside the opening 11 minutes but gradually as the half wore on, they missed chances to go further and Moorefield found a way back into the game.

Athy led 0-6 to 0-3 at half time but by the time of the second half water break, Moorefield were back level at 0-8 each.

It seemed the game was shaping up as Moorefield would have liked and it looked like they were kicking for home when Eanna O’Connor put them ahead for the first time at 0-9 to 0-8 in the 51st minute and then again at 0-10 to 0-9 in the 53rd minute.

But the O’Keefe goal came at the most opportune moment for Athy and they were able to protect their lead in the latter stages, Moorefield’s cause not helped by a second yellow card shown to Cian O’Connor, to seal a memorable win for the club.

ATHY: J Roycroft; M Hyland, S Ronan, D Lawler; B Maher, M Foley, D Hyland; K Feely 0-1, P Connell; L McGovern 0-2fs, T Gibbons, B Kelly 0-1; J Moran, J Eaton 0-2 (1f,1m), N Kelly 0-3 (1f).

Subs: K Farrell 0-1 for Moran, 40; D O'Keeffe 1-1 for N Kelly, 42; P Whelan for Maher, 50; C Reynolds for Gibbons, 50; D McGovern for B Kelly, 60+5.

MOOREFIELD: T Kinsella; L Callaghan, L Healy, S Dempsey 0-1; I Meehan, M Dempsey, A Durney; A Masterson 0-1, K Murnaghan; C O'Connor 0-1, A Tyrrell 0-2, R Houlihan; E O'Connor 0-5 (2fs), J Philips, C Kelly.

Subs: N Hurley Lynch 0-1 for Kelly, 40; M McDermott 0-1 for Philips, 45; D Dunne for Callaghan, 57; R Moore for Meehan, 59.

REFEREE: Niall Colgan