Kildare minors make it two wins from two

Kildare secured a second consecutive victory in Skryne on Monday evening to strengthen their hopes of earning a bye to the provincial semi-final, following a 1-16 to 1-11 win over Meath in round 2 of Group 1 of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship.

Kildare kept the Royals at arm’s length once they established a healthy lead and, after moving five points clear through Logan Tennyson’s goal five minutes before half-time, never looked in serious trouble thereafter.

The opening vital game came when Oisín McAfee surged forward before releasing Tennyson on the overlap, and the St Kevin’s
forward gathered cleanly before finishing low to the net to leave the visitors 1-8 to 0-6 ahead approaching the break. Scores from Reilly and Liam Mescall stretched the advantage further before Stafford left the half-time scoreboard reading 1-10 to 0-7.

Eoin Lyons doubled the scores early in the second half with a well-taken effort from an angle before Stafford and Tennyson exchanged placed balls at either end. Conn Brennan then curled over an excellent score in the fortieth minute to keep the Royals in touch.

Moments later Brennan gave Meath renewed hope finishing low to the net to halve the deficit with twenty minutes remaining. However, Greg Kelly steadied the Lilywhites with another two-pointer to restore their cushion as both
sides endured a spell of wasteful shooting during the closing stages, with The Lilies running out winners on a final score line of Kildare 1-16 Meath 1-11.

Sorers: Kildare, Logan Tennyson 1-3 (2f, 1 65), Jack Reilly 0-4 (1 TP, 1F), Greg Kelly 0-3 (1 TP),
John Killoran 0-2 (1 TP), Eoghan Lyons 0-2, Paidi Ryan 0-1, Liam Mescall 0-1.

Meath,  Milo Stafford 0-5 (1F, 1TP), Conn Brennan 1-1, John Killoran 0-2 (1TP), Thomas
Dillon 0-1, Cormac Walsh 0-1, Daire Loughran 0-1.

KILDARE: Joe Crotty; Eoin Markey, Ryan Crawford, Liam Mescal; Fionn Lawlor, Oisin
McAfee, Luke Shanahan; Charlie Doran, Paidi Ryan; Jamie Flood, Aodhan Bergin, Eoghan
Lyons; Jack Reilly, Greg Kelly, Logan Tennyson. Subs: Aidan Tobin for Flood (40 mins), Gearoid Clare for Bergin (45 mins), Dillon; Daniels for Tennyson (45 mins), Eoghan Lyons for Lawlor (47 mins), Jack Doran for Ryan
(60 mins).

MEATH, Cormac Fitzsimons; Ben Browne, Tomas Clarke, Niall Rogan; Liam O’Donoghue,
Harry McGuirk, Niall Smyth; Alex Keane, Tomas Proudfoot; Cormac McKenna, Thomas
Dillon, Conn Brennan; Cormac Walsh, Milo Stafford, Daire Loughran. Subs: John Killoran for O’Donoghue (HT), Harris Moffat for Loughran (40 mins), Caolan Comey or McKenna (46 mins), Harry Keating for McGuirk (59 mins).