Another Christy Ring cup for Kildare, but more final woe for Derry

The Kildare players and officials celebrate with the cup after the Christy Ring Cup final match between Kildare and Derry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Christy Ring Cup final: Kildare 4-21 Derry 1-22 

Kildare secured a record fifth Christy Ring Cup and their fourth in seven years as they overcame Derry to secure an immediate return to the Joe McDonagh Cup at Croke Park this afternoon.

Four goals at crucial stages put paid to any hopes of a comeback for a hard-working Derry side who have failed to win now in four visits to the final, three of those in the last four years.

Kildare looked the more powerful, athletic side from the start and Muiris Curtin’s goal after only three minutes put Derry under pressure from the word go. Were it not for the Lilywhites’ profligacy in that early spell the Oak Leafers might have been dead and buried.

As it was, it was almost ten minutes before Derry had a shot at the posts from play, Darragh McGilligan pointing, but they got the bit between the teeth after that as Kildare continued to struggle to convert chances.

With John Mullan in sparkling form in the corner, scoring five points from play in the first half alone – he finished on six - and Cormac O’Doherty almost flawless from frees, Derry were only a point behind (1-7 to 0-9) by the 22nd minute.

Kildare's Rian Boran celebrates after the game with Cathal Dowling. Pic ©INPHO/Ben Brady

But four points from Kildare ace marksman Jack Sheridan gave Kildare some breathing room and three minutes from half-time, Derry full-back Mark Craig was adjudged, perhaps harshly, to have fouled the towering James Burke. Sheridan made no mistake from the resultant penalty.

Kildare stretched the lead to eight but two points before the break kept Derry in range, going in 2-12 to 0-12 in arrears.

Derry, who came back from 13 points behind to lose by just two against Meath in last year’s final, burst out of the blocks after the interval and five points in succession, four of them from the masterful O’Doherty, had Brian Dowling’s Kildare side on the rack somewhat with their lead down to a point.

The nervy Lilywhites squandered a goal chance thanks to Simon Leacy’s overhit pass to Cian Boran, but they did stop the rot with two Sheridan frees before their third goal from David Qualter on 49 minutes saw them lead by six points.

That took some of the sting out of it though Derry kept plugging away. Jack Cassidy was an impressive second half substitute for them, scoring two points, but afterwards manager Johnny McGarvey rued a hook on the impressive Mullan as he bore down on Paddy McKenna’s goal with 11 minutes left.

Kildare’s fourth goal sealed the win, two minutes from time. Sheridan’s point-blank shot was well parried by Derry ‘keeper Oisín O’Doherty but his Naas clubmate Burke was on hand to sweep home the rebound from the ground.

Derry kept pushing for a goal with a combination of Sheridan and goalkeeper Paddy McKenna saving a 20 metre free from O’Doherty before McKenna pushed a Richie Mullan drive out for a ’65.

The Ulster side did get their reward three minutes into injury time when they were awarded a penalty and O’Doherty made no mistake to bring his tally to 1-11. McKenna, though, was equal again to another late Richie Mullan effort as Derry’s dream died for another year.

Scorers for Kildare: J Sheridan (1-9, 1-0 pen, 8fs), J Burke (1-2), D Qualter (1-1), M Curtin (1-0), Cian Boran (0-3), S Leacy (0-2), P Dolan, Conan Boran, C McCabe, D Flaherty (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Derry: C O’Doherty (1-11, 1-0 pen, 9fs), J Mullan (0-6), J Cassidy (0-2), C McNaughton, D McGilligan, R Mullan (0-1 each) 

KILDARE: P McKenna; D O’Meara, M Grace, C Shanahan; P Dolan, Conan Boran, R Boran; S Leacy, C McCabe; J Burke, J Sheridan, D Guerin; M Curtin, Cian Boran, D Qualter.

Subs: J Dolan for Guerin (45), D Flaherty for Curtin (53), H Carroll for Shanahan (55), C Dowling for McCabe (62), M Delaney for Burke (70+1) 

DERRY: O O’Doherty; P Kelly, M Craig, N Farren; S Cassidy, R Mullan, M McGrath; C O’Kane, C O’Reilly; D McGilligan, C O’Doherty, C Murray; J Mullan, C McNaughton, R Ó Mianáin.

Subs: J Cassidy for O’Kane (40), SF Quinn for Farren (49), S Kelly for McNaughton (42), D Mooney for O’Reilly (61), J Friel for Murray (66)

Referee: B Keon (Galway).