Gallant Kildare come up short against Tyrone after slow start in All-Ireland U20 semi-final

It was not to be for Kildare who bowed out of the All-Ireland U20 Championship at the semi-final stage against a fine Tyrone side, and a county searching for their third successive U20 All-Ireland title. A much-improved second-half in this back and forth battle in Kingspan Breffni was not enough as this The Lilywhites’ thrilling 2026 journey came to an end in Cavan.

The Lilies amassed half of their first half total with one swing of Jimmy Lynch’s boot after three minutes with a two-pointer and the game’s opening score.

Kildare had a significant wind at their backs in the opening half but failed to make that pay. Tyrone set up in a narrow block leaving space out wide. It was an organised approach from the Ulster champions but Kildare were too passive in possession throughout the first half hour of this game.

Tyrone however had the necessary penetrating attack to get scores whenever they came up the pitch. They opened their account after five minutes through Adrian McGurren. The Dromore forward levelled things two minutes later with The Lilies cut open far too easily.

Peter Colton fired Tyrone ahead while Kildare misfired somewhat in attack. The Lilies looked like a butter knife trying to cut a steak going forward with their seven-day turnaround from their Leinster final, compared to Tyrone’s two-week break, perhaps blunting their edges.

Kildare’s best moment of attack early on came when Ruaidhrí Lawlor beat his opposite number to create space and offloaded for Euan Cowzer to fire over. It was a piece of creativity that had not happened nearly enough and the sides were level 0-3 apiece after 10 minutes.

The message from the Tyrone sideline was “no contact” but they were getting in anyways and re-took the lead in the 18th minute after some Kildare shots went astray in the intervening period of play. Wing-back Aodhán Quinn got that score.

Great work from the other wing-back Brian Gallagher gave Tyrone a two-point buffer after Gallagher created space for Leo Hughes to score.

It was disappointing but not fatal for Kildare but their job got a whole lot harder when Tyrone raised the game’s first green flag. It came from Kildare bringing possession out of defence when Conall Sheehy delivered a perfect jab of the ball to knock it loose to Shea McDermott and the corner-forward produced an awe-inspiring finish, rattling the underside of the crossbar to score.

Euan Cowzer fired back Kildare as they got their first point since the 10th minute when the Naas man slotted one from a tight angle.

Tyrone restored their five-point buffer before the break with a fine team score with McDermott, Turlough Muldoon involved to set up midfielder Conor O’Neill to score.

The Red Hand carried a 1-6 to 0-4 lead in at the break.

The Leinster final told everyone what they needed to know about the mettle of this Kildare panel and they showed that in the minutes after the break.

Daniel Colbert got the first score after the restart following a turnover in the Kildare half before Jimmy Lynch brought Kildare back to within three with a curling effort that kissed the inside of the upright.

Kildare continued their surge back to form with a score from Ronan Kelly after the Athy man was first to latch on to a high dropping ball into the box.

Tyrone got their first shot, and wide, of the second half after nine minutes of second half play.

Kildare looked like a team renewed and were to within one when Jimmy Lynch slotted a ‘45 and were level when Lynch knocked over a close-range free which had been brought forward for dissent.

Tyrone got their first of the second half in the 43rd minute and did so in style on the counter-attack with full-forward Peter Colton recycling to Conor O’Neill to coolly curl over a two-pointer.

Kildare looked so much better in attack in the second half and fired back through Lynch from play; this time after fast movement of possession through the hands to find the Clogherinkoe shooter. Tyrone led by one, at 1-8 to 0-10, with 15 minutes to go.

The momentum felt as if it had shifted to The Lilywhites, who wore blue on the night, but there was another twist. A misplaced kick-out from the Kildare end landed in the arms of Darragh Donaghy who now had a free run at The Lilies’ goal. The forward, who had only been introduced two minutes earlier, made no mistake and fired low past Charlie Carroll. Tyrone’s second goal gave them a four-point lead once again.

The Red Hand took that boost and extended their advantage with points from Enda Donaghy and substitute Darragh Devlin on the counter with more space being afforded all over the field.

Kildare were down by six and needed a goal and almost got one through Harry Redmond who got two bites at the cherry in front of goal with both being kept out by Oisín Watson.

Aodhán Quinn pointed for Tyrone in the first of six added minutes. Ronan Kelly (twice) and Rob Murray managed points for Kildare to bring the gap to four with two minutes remaining with the Tyrone backline mainly concerned with keeping a crucial clean sheet.

Tyrone got the game’s final score through full-forward Peter Colton and finished as 2-12 to 0-13 winners and reached a third successive All-Ireland U20 Championship final, having won the last two.

Tyrone, Shea McDermott 1-0, Darragh Donaghy 1-0, Conor O'Neill 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Adrian McGurren 0-2, Aodhán Quinn 0-2, Peter Colton 0-2, Leo Hughes 0-1, Enda Donaghy 0-1, Darragh Devlin 0-1.

Kildare, Jimmy Lynch 0-6 (0-1 frees, 1 x 2pt, 1 x'45), Ronan Kelly 0-3, Euan Cowzer 0-2, Daniel Colbert 0-1, Rob Murray 0-1.

TYRONE: Oisín Watson; Seán Broderick, Luke Neeson, Michael McNamee; Aodhán Quinn, Conor Devlin, Brian Gallagher; Enda Donaghy, Conor O'Neill; Conall Sheehy, Leo Hughes, Turlough Muldoon; Adrian McGurren, Peter Colton, Shea McDermott. Subs: Darragh Donaghy for Turlough Muldoon (46 minutes), Darragh Devlin for Adrian McGurren (53 minutes), Ruairi McCullagh for Leo Hughes (57 minutes), Aidan Colton for Conall Sheehy (65 minutes).

KILDARE: Charlie Carroll; Cian McKevitt, Liam Kelly, Senan Gallagher; Calum Keaveny, Finn Dowling, Ben Ryan; Evan Boyle, Ruaidhrí Lawlor; Daniel Colbert, Liam Kenny, Jimmy Lynch; Euan Cowzer, Colm Moran, Ronan Kelly. Subs: Rob Murray for Cian McKevitt (50 minutes), Cian Keaveny for Euan Cowzer (50 minutes), Austin Donegan for Liam Kenny (55 minutes), Harry Redmond for Calum Keaveny (55 minutes).

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)