LEINSTER JFC/Dublin 0-11 Kildare 1-6:MICK DEEGAN'S Dublin team triumphed in yesterday's Leinster junior championship semi-final at Croke Park in what was a disappointing curtain-raiser.
Kildare, after falling behind to two points from Adrian Darcy, rocked Dublin with a goal on six minutes when Mick Kennedy from an acute angle guided the ball into the far corner. Dublin's response was to hit four unanswered points, including points from play from Warren Finnegan and Ronan Joyce, to open up a double-scores lead midway through the half.
Kildare, however, began to make probing runs into the heart of the Dublin defence and by the 24th minute had cut Dublin's lead to one point following a free from Mark Fitzharris. Dublin came close to a goal before the break with Kildare goalkeeper Mark Herbert smothering an effort from O'Gara. But Ronan Joyce regathered possession to slot over his second point and leave Dublin up by 0-8 to 1-3 at the interval.
Dublin twice breached the Kildare full-back line early in the second half but Kildare survived on both occasions and were still in contention heading into the final five minutes when Fitzharris landed a free to put just two between the sides.
Dublin prevailed with frees from Finnegan and Darcy enough to see them over the line.
DUBLIN: C Clarke; D Daly, M Fitzsimons, C Prenderville; M White, A Dennis, N Brogan; D Bastick, C Daly; R Joyce (0-2), K Connolly, G Brennan; W Finnegan (0-5, two frees), E O'Gara, A Darcy (0-4, three frees). Subs: B Sexton for Joyce (50 mins), C Norton for Darcy (59 mins).
KILDARE: M Herbert; M Donnelly, C Fagan, C Kearney; O Hearty, J Dempsey, J Mulpeter; M Kenny, W Heffernan; M Hartnett (0-1), M Kennedy (1-0), P Mooney (0-1); M Fitzharris (0-4, three frees), E Carew, A Middleton. Subs: R Walsh for Fagan, E Kennedy for Middleton (both half-time), N Brown for Carew (39 mins), G Hendy for Kennedy (55 mins).
Referee: J Curley (Meath).
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