Result: Dublin 2-14 Kildare 0-17
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Afternoon all and welcome to Navan. We’re building up to the 2016 EirGrid Leinster U21 football final as reigning champions Dublin face Kildare in a repeat of last year’s decider.
Here’s the teams named to start, we’ll let you know if there’s any pre-match changes.
Dublin
1. Lorcan Molloy (St Annes)
2. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
3. Martin Cahilan (Cuala)
4. Eoin Smith (Skerries Harps)
5. Glenn O’Reilly (Na Fianna)
6. Sean McMahon (Raheny)
7. Declan Monaghan (Clontarf)
8. Andy Foley (Clontarf)
9. Killian Deeley (Na Fianna)
10. Brian Howard (Raheny)
11. Michael Deegan (Donaghmore-Ashbourne)
12. Cillian O’Shea (Kilmacud Crokes)
13. Chris Sallier (Thomas Davis)
14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
15. Darragh Spillane (Cuala)
Kildare
1. Declan Campbell (Raheens)
2. Eoghan Bateman (Naas)
3. Darren Maguire (Maynooth)
4. Paul Mescall (Maynooth)
5. Ryan Houlihan (Moorefield)
6. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields)
7. Brian Byrne (Naas)
8. Luke Flynn (Johnstownbridge)
9. Paschal Connell (Athy)
10. Conor Hartley (Sarsfields)
11. Barry Kelly (Athy)
12. Mark Sherry (Two Mile House)
13. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields)
14. Chris Healy (Two Mile House)
15. Neil Flynn (Maynooth)
Two late changes for Dublin with Colm Basquel and Donal McIlghorm in for Eoin Murchan and Michael Deegan.
And two changes to Kildare team with Con Kavanagh and Cian McMonagle in for Barry Kelly and Mark Sherry.
Early scoring chance for Dublin from a free but Con O’Callaghan’s effort tails wide.
Con O’Callaghan has been in terrific form for Dublin so far this season but his accuracy has been off early so far here. He’s just missed his second free.
Dublin have been forced into an early change as Cillian O’Shea comes off after shipping a heavy knock with Ballyboden St-Enda’s All-Ireland club winner Shane Clayton coming on. Not a bad option that Dessie Farrell can call upon.
Kildare 0-1 Dublin 0-0
5 mins – No mistake at the other end by Kildare’s Neil Flynn who despatches his first chance from a free over the bar.
Kildare 0-2 Dublin 0–0
7 mins – That’s an outstanding point by Kildare’s Ben McCormack. He shot over from play despite being under huge pressure from Clayton.
Kildare 0-3 Dublin 0-1
10 mins – Dublin needed a point to settle them and Colm Basquel provides it.
Kildare 0-3 Dublin 0-0
9 mins – McCormack points again and Kildare are in flying form here.
Kildare 0-5 Dublin 0-1
11 mins – Kildare respond positively with two points in the space of a minute as McCormack hits his third and Pascal Connell strikes over his first of the day.
Dublin have lost another player through injury with Donal McIlghorm stretchered off as Aaron Elliot is brought in.
Kildare 0-5 Dublin 0-2
16 mins - Goal chance for Dublin as Basquel cuts through but Kildare goalkeeper Declan Campbell does well to deflect the shot away. The play was then called back for an earlier foul on Basquel with O’Callaghan slotting over the close-range free.
Kildare 0-7 Dublin 0-2
18 mins – Good counter-attack by Kildare with Connell firing in a delivery that Neil Flynn wins. He has defenders for company but manages to work the space to point off his right. Then Kildare win the resultant kickout and it’s moved upfield where McCormack gets clear to clip over off his left.
Kildare 0-8 Dublin 0-2
20 mins – Flynn’s place kicking is excellent as he drills a ’45 over the bar.
Dublin counter at the other end and create another goal chance but O’Callaghan is crowded out and his shot is deflected off for a ’45.
That resultant ’45 by goalkeeper Lorcan Molloy falls short, O’Callaghan gathers and offloads to Basquel but his snapshot goes high and wide.
Kildare 0-9 Dublin 0-2
25 mins – Ben McCormack on target again, that’s five points from play that he’s struck.
Goal for Dublin from Con O’Callaghan!
Kildare 0-9 Dublin 1-2
27 mins – Kildare have looked shaky at times in defence and Dublin finally capitalise. O’Callaghan hammers a shot to the roof of the net after a swift passing move.
Kildare 0-9 Dublin 1-3
28 mins – A long ball is pumped in on top of O’Callaghan who outfields Kildare full-back Darren Maguire, turns and pops over a point with his left foot. Suddenly for all Kildare’s dominance, it’s a three-point game.
Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-4
31 mins – Points swapped as Dublin’s Chris Sallier and Kildare’s Neil Flynn raise white flags.
There’ll be six minutes of injury time played here, there’s been plenty stoppages.
Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-5
34 mins – Glenn O’Reilly off the outside of his boot points for Dublin but they nearly got a second goal before that only for O’Callaghan to be denied again by Campbell.
Half-Time: Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-5
Two Dublin subs at half-time with Paddy Small and Eoin Murchan in for Darragh Spillane and Declan Monaghan.
Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-7
32 mins – Kildare were ahead by seven but Dublin have now drawn level. Con O’Callaghan strikes over the levelling point.
Kildare 0-10 Dublin 1-6
31 mins – Andy Foley gets the first score of the second-half as Dublin cut the gap to the minimum. He fires in a long free and gets lucky as the ball missed the Kildare defence to bounce over the bar.
Kildare 0-11 Dublin 1-7
35 mins – Now Kildare do go ahead and it’s a first point of the game for full-forward Chris Healy.
Kildare have a chance to go in front but Ben McCormack shoots across the goal and wide.
Midfielder Pascal Connell charges through the Dublin defence but the Kildare man’s effort for a point comes back off the upright.
Kildare 0-12 Dublin 1-7
37 mins – Ryan Houlihan is fouled for Kildare and Neil Flynn points the resultant free with his left.
Kildare spurning a couple of chances to increase their lead. McCormack hits their latest wide.
Kildare 0-12 Dublin 1-8
47 mins – The scoring drought is broken by a point from Dublin’s Brian Howard.
Dublin 1-10 Kildare 0-12
49 mins – And Dublin hit the front through Glenn O’Reilly, the first time they’ve been in front in this game.
Kildare 0-12 Dublin 1-9
48 mins – All square now as O’Callaghan converts a Dublin free.
Dublin 1-11 Kildare 0-14
54 mins – Flynn is fouled for Kildare and he shows the composure to nail the free and tie the teams.
Neil Flynn sent in a cross that Sherry gathered under pressure, he turned and shot low but the ball went just past the post. Huge excitement here.
Full-Time: Dublin 1-11 Kildare 0-14
Dublin 1-12 Kildare 0-14
61 mins – Con O’Callaghan with the first score in extra-time as he picks off a point from a close-range free.
Dublin 1-12 Kildare 0-15
63 mins - Goal chance for Kildare but Ben McCormack kicks wide while off balance. He was fouled as he kicked the ball though and the play is called back for a free that Flynn converts. Level once more.
Kildare 0-16 Dublin 1-12
66 mins – Kildare hit the front through the excellent Flynn from play. That’s 0-9 for him so far, he hit 0-11 in last year’s Leinster U21 final in Navan.
Cian Scanlan back on for Kildare for the injured Ben McCormack. Dublin replace Glenn O’Reilly with Kieran Doherty.
Goal for Dublin from Cillian O’Shea
Dublin 2-12 Kildare 0-16
69 mins – How decisive a score could that be? A perfectly timed pop pass releases Dublin’s Cillian O’Shea who bursts through and keeps his cool to tuck the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
HT (extra-time): Dublin 2-13 Kildare 0-16
Dublin 2-13 Kildare 0-17
75 mins – Still hope for Kildare as Flynn kicks over an excellent free.
Into injury-time, Kildare just haven’t been able to take their chances in front of goal.
Full-Time: Dublin 2-14 Kildare 0-17
Unfortunate for them with the injuries, would have been great to see them fully loaded having a crack at Europe.
Glad McCabe is back, good player, thought it was a poor decision in the Summer to let him go.
Wonder what Conan O’Donnell is up to this weather
@ScewMadd: He was togging out for Counties Manukau in the mitre cup, prior to that he was at the sunwolves. Since the mitre cups completion I am not sure where he’s at. He put in a few 80min performances for Counties and he looked v solid. They played him at lh for all but one of his starts. Connacht could do with him now that’s for sure.
@Ian Verdon: I thought O’Donnell and Kenny would be starting for Connacht as a duo for 10 years when they first came on the scene. Both looked serious prospects but O’Donnell didn’t work out for some reason and Kenny’s taking more time do come through that I thought he would. His technique needed a good bit of work but a serious specimen.
@Eddie Hekenui: O’Donnell impressed me for counties this season, granted I only saw 3 of his performances. He seems comfortable playing either side of the scrum and his skillset is good. Kenny at 133kg is certainly a specimen, for me he needs to shed a few kg’s. His athleticism isn’t bad for a lad of his weight but I think with an added injection of acceleration he could be more of a weapon with ball in hand and get around the park more. He’s only 23 which is still young for a prop. He could well be on the bench this weekend I’ll be keeping an eye on him if indeed he is and does get on.
@Ian Verdon: Having seen him in action last season he’s definitely trimmed down since he was an U20 so I doubt he’s still 133 but you’re spot on that he could still do with tightening things up a bit. Still looks to be carrying a bit of bad weight. He’s some engine on him considering his size too. He got through a mountain of work in the game I saw him live and he did a number on his opposite number in the scrum which was a bit of a weakness for him at U20 level.
Yeah O’Donnell was a lad I was really surprised got let go. He was a huge prospect at underage levels and it’s an area Connacht have very little depth. But the coaches saw him in action everyday so are sure to have had good reasons. Hopefully he can continue his career somewhere else and maybe work himself back into contention somewhere in Ireland.
@Eddie Hekenui: it states on Connacht’s team page he’s still 133kg but that may not have been updated. For his size he does have a impressive engine but even cutting down 5kg can make a world if difference to ones athleticism just look at Healy and killer.
O’Donnell is still only 23 himself maybe he’ll do a thornbury and try educate and develop his game in Nz playing m with likes of counties and come back in a year or so better for it. Wether that be with Connacht or indeed another province.
@Ian Verdon: I wouldn’t place much stock in figures listed on the clubs websites. They’re never updated. They get put in after the players initial testing and that’s it. I’d be less concerned with a weight figure than a composition one too. He looked like he’s lost a lot of the bad weight he was carrying and turned it into muscle.
This could be a massacre, as could every other Connacht match in the tournament