Kildare coast into Ring Cup final; Down shock Offaly in shoot-out
Promotion to McDonagh Cup for 2021
Kildare booked their place in the 2020 Christy Ring Cup with an emphatic win over Roscommon at St Conleth's Park this afternoon. While in the second semi final, Offaly (1/33 favourites) were shocked when losing out to Down after extra time and a penalty shoot-out.
While it took The Lilies a while to get into their stride and in fact they trailed by a point after 15 minutes but that was as good as it got for the visitors as Kildare took complete charge, led at at the break 1-11 to 0-5 before Jack Sheridan struck wth two quick goals to seal thegame, Roscommon not scoring from 15 to 54 minute.
Kildare will now play Down in the Christy Ring final, and both teams will be promoted to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2021, the rank outsiders shocked Offaly in a shoop-out
Final score: Kildare 3-24 Roscommon 1-8;
Down 2-20 Offaly 1-23 after extra time; Down going through winning the penalty shoot-out 3-2.
Scorers: Kildare, Jack Sheridan 2-6 (4 frees, 65, penalty), Brian Byrne 0-8 (4 frees, 65), James Burke 1-2, Niall Ó Muineacháin 0-2, Paul Divilly 0-2, Rian Boran 0-1, Kevin Whelan 0-1, Conor Dowling 0-1, Shane Ryan 0-1.
Roscommon: Cathal Dolan 0-6 (3 frees), Jackk Lohan 1-0, Conor Mulry 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1, Eamon Flanagan 0-1 (free).
KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Simon Lacy, John Doran, Cian Shanahan; Niall Ó Muineacháin, Rian Boran, Kevin Whelan; Cathal Dowling, Paul Divilly; James Burke, Jack Sheridan, Conor Dowling; Tadhg Forde, Brian Byrne cpt, David Slattery. Subs: Shane Ryan for Conor Dowling (47 minutes); Cathal McCabe for Tadhg Forde (48 mnutes); Sean Christanseen for Cathal Dowling (50 minutes); Cathl Derivan for Jack Sheridan (58 minutes); Mark Doyle for Paddy McKenna (59 minutes).
ROSCOMMON: NaosConnaughton; Paul Dolan, Peter Kellehan, Padraic Brennan; Paul Kenny, Michael Byrne, Eamon Flanagan; Shane Curley, Oisín Kelly; Eamon Kenny, John Coyne, Eoin Coyle; Cathal Dolan, Conor Mulry, Niall Kilroy. Subs: Pat Nolan for Padraic Brenan (43 minutes); Cillian Egan for Eoin Coyle (43 minutes); Ben McGahon for Eamonn Kenny (43 minutes); Diarmuid Treacy for Conor Mulry (55 minutes); Donal Kelly for Paul Kenny (57 minutes).
REFEREE: Thomas Gleeson, Dublin.