Kildare 4-21 Derry 1-22
Kildare scored two goals in either-half to secure a hard-earned eight-point victory over Derry in their Christy Ring Cup final at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.
Their reward is a place in next year’s Joe McDonagh Cup and their ability to plunder goals at the most opportune time, while their opponents struggled to create genuine goal chances, proving to be the difference between the well-matched sides.
It was the Lilies that made the stronger impression from the outset, opening the scoring through a third minute point by Simon Leacy.
Matters deteriorated for Derry a minute later as some defensive indecision was punished as Muiris Curtin gathered possession before firing an unerring shot into the top corner of Oisín O’Doherty’s goal.
A free from Cormac O’Doherty opened the Derry account in the 6th minute but they were playing second fiddle for the most part as Kildare pushed clear through points by Cathal McCabe and Conan Boran.
The side traded points as the first quarter came to a close with Oisín O’Doherty making a superb sprawling save to deny James Burke a second Kildare goal.
Derry seemed to take huge inspiration from this intervention with Mullan in particular, galvanised in the ensuing four minutes, accruing three excellent points from play, and suddenly, Kildare’s lead was down to the bare minimum by the 23rd minute.
Jack Sheridan landed a settling free for Kildare soon after, ending a scoreless period of seven minutes in the process and he added a cracking point from play to restore a degree of control on the scoreboard.
Sheridan was proving central to Kildare’s chances at this juncture and his ability from placed balls was highlighted once again in the 33rd minute as he cracked home a penalty after Burke was held close to goal.
An excellent Cian Boran point added to the Kildare lead but Derry finished the half through points from Cormac O’Doherty and Christy McNaughton to trim their arrears to six points by half-time.
That momentum was evident to see in the early stages of the second half as both Cormac O’Doherty and the hugely influential Mullan added to their personal tallies in the opening minute.
The former popped over a brace of frees to ensure that they maintained the initiative, especially with Kildare hitting two sloppy wides, reflecting their general unease as their lead diminished further.
However, they gained some traction as Sheridan converted a brace of frees and they managed to hand themselves further breathing room in the 49th minute as David Qualter gathered possession thirty metres from goal and a sharp turn afforded him sufficient space to plant an unstoppable finish beyond the despairing dive of O’Doherty.
That concession knocked the stuffing out of the Derry challenge although substitute Jack Cassidy impressed with two nice points as the half progressed, the scores proved insufficient with Sheridan continuing to make hay at the opposite end.
A fourth goal arrived for Kildare as Burke followed up on a rebound in the 68th minute and while Derry placed concerted pressure on the Kildare goal in the dying moments, their sole reward was a penalty converted by O’Doherty, scant consolation for Derry by the final whistle.
Kildare: P McKenna; M Grace, R Boran, C Shanahan; P Dolan (0-1), C Boran (0-1), D O’Meara; S Leacy (0-2), C McCabe (0-1); D Guerin, J Burke (1-2), C Boran (0-3); J Sheridan (1-9, eight frees, one pen), D Qualter (1-1), M Curtin (1-0).
Subs: J Dolan for Guerin (46 mins), D Flaherty (0-1) for Curtin (54), H Carroll for Shanahan (55), C Dowling for McCabe (62), M Delaney for Burke (71).
Derry: O O’Doherty; P Kelly, M Craig, N Farren; S Cassidy, R Mullan (0-1), M McGrath; C O’Kane, C O’Reilly; D McGilligan (0-1), C O’Doherty (1-11, nine frees, one pen) C Murray; J Mullan (0-6), C McNaughton (0-1), R Ó Mianáin.
Subs: J Cassidy (0-2) for O’Kane (40 mins), S Quinn for Farren (50), S Kelly for McNaughton (53), D Mooney for O’Reilly (62), J Friel for Murray (67).
Referee: Brian Keon (Galway).
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