Ronan Kelly fires Kildare to Leinster U20 football title with win over Louth
CHAMPIONS: Kildare joint-captains Ben Ryan and Colm Moran lift the cup. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
You don't keep a player like Ronan Kelly down for too long.
A Kildare SFC medallist with Athy last Autumn, Kelly was surprisingly quiet in last Wednesday evening's Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U-20 semi-final win over Meath.
But when the title was on the line at Parnell Park on Wednesday evening, the corner-forward duly delivered with a stunning display to propel Kildare to a 14th success at the grade.
Kelly fired seven points in total including two late scores as Kildare came from two points down to win by two.
Niall Cronin's crew reeled off the game's last four points to strip hosts Louth of their crown and claim what is a first title at the grade since 2023.
Kelly and his Athy colleague Colm Moran both impressed while there were cameos also from Ruaidhrí Lawlor, Jimmy Lynch and joint-captain Ben Ryan.
Kildare will be back in action next Wednesday evening when they face All-Ireland holders Tyrone at the semi-final stage.
It's the end of the road for a talented Louth team who were chasing back-to-back titles for the first time in the county's history.
The provincial final was a familiar experience for Louth with boss Fergal Reel able to carry over the majority of last year's successful panel.
In fact, with Pearse Grimes Murphy and Keelin Martin late additions to the lineup, Reel named a whopping 11 of the team that started last year's All-Ireland final.
Kildare edged the first 10 minutes or so and led 0-4 to 0-2 when a huge turning point arrived.
Kildare defender Ryan, son of former senior manager Glenn, cut through the Louth defence but was shouldered to the ground just before he pulled the trigger.
Kildare fans cried foul but Louth took full advantage by racing down the pitch and netting through Adam Gillespie, shoving them a point up.
That score lit Louth's touchpaper and they surged 1-7 to 0-5 ahead after 24 minutes, thanks in part to two-pointers from Gillespie and goalkeeper Tiarnan Markey.
But Louth's purple patch was halted by a resurgent Kildare who reeled off three two-pointers in a row, two from Lawlor, to lead 0-12 to 1-8 at half time.
And that's pretty much how the game continued to play out, as a glorious back and forth with the sides level no less than eight times in the second half.
Markey added three more points in that half for Louth, bringing his tally to five points for the evening.
Then Tony McDonnell came alive for Louth with a single from a free and a two-pointer when they won the subsequent kick-out to leave the holders 1-18 to 0-19 ahead.
Louth hoped they'd finally broken the back of Kildare's challenge though the young Lilies had saved a strong kick for the finish line.
Kelly, Calum Keaveny, Lynch and then Kelly again registered those four points in a row to propel them to a memorable win.
R Kelly 0-7 (1tpf, 1f); R Lawlor 0-5 (2tp); J Lynch 0-4, (3f); C Moran, Calum Keaveny, Euan Cowzer 0-2 each; Liam Kenny 0-1.
A Gillespie 1-4 (1tp); T Markey 0-5 (2tpf, 1 '45); T McDonnell (1f, 1tp), S Lennon 0-3 each; P Grimes Murphy 0-2; K Martin 0-1.
C Carroll; F Dowling, S Gallagher, B Ryan; L Kelly, C McDevitt, Calum Keaveny; E Boyle, D Colbert; E Cowzer, R Lawlor, L Kenny; J Lynch, C Moran, R Kelly.
H Redmond for Kenny (39); R Murray for McKevitt (53); H Martin for Cowzer (57).
T Markey; P Tinnelly, C McKeown, D Craven; K Martin, M Reid, T Devaney; C Hackett, S Lennon; C McGinty, C MacCríosta, P Grimes Murphy; A Gillespie, S Flynn, T McDonnell.
A O'Reilly for Hackett (43).
S Farrelly (Dublin).
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