Gaelic Games

Kildare overcome Dublin in extra-time struggle to claim Leinster Under-20 title

Colm Dalton forced extra-time with a late Kildare leveller and the reigning champions never looked back

Kildare goalkeeper Cormac Barker celebrates scoring a free in extra-time during his team's Leinster final win over Dublin. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Kildare goalkeeper Cormac Barker celebrates scoring a free in extra-time during his team's Leinster final win over Dublin. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Tue Apr 25 2023 - 22:20

Kildare 0-16 Dublin 0-13

Ryan Sinkey displayed all his class as Kildare overcame an extra-time struggle in Carlow to secure back to back Leinster U-20 football titles.

Trailing or level for much of regular time, Colm Dalton forced extra-time with a late Kildare leveller and Brian Flanagan’s side cruised home from there.

It’s back to back final wins over Dublin and a 13th provincial title at the grade for Kildare who will play the Ulster champions in a May 6th All-Ireland semi-final.

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Sinkey scooped the Man of the Match award with four terrific points from play while Dalton weighed in with a crucial 0-3. Dublin will kick themselves because they led by a point before Dalton’s long-range equaliser.

Kildare were by far the stronger team in the additional 20 minutes, outscoring the Dubs by 0-5 to 0-2.

Wing forward Sinkey was at his best in the first-half of normal time with three eye-catching Kildare points, his third tying the scores up at 0-4 apiece after 20 minutes.

It was tight and tense and three Dublin points in the remaining 10 or so minutes left them with a 0-7 to 0-5 interval lead.

Dublin got the margin out to three points in the third quarter with back to back Ross Keogh points and it was then that the game suddenly came alive.

Kildare’s response was impressive and four points between the 42nd and 48th minutes from Callum Bolton, Sinkey, Oisin O’Sullivan and Adam Fanning nudged them ahead for the first time.

Dublin did their best to seal victory with scores from Bill Costello and Quigley but Dalton sent the game to extra-time and Kildare didn’t look back.

KILDARE: C Barker (0-1 free); R Burke, H O’Neill, T Von Engelbrechten; J Harris, J McGrath, J McKevitt; F Cooke, S Farrell (0-2 frees); R Sinkey (0-4), C Bolton (0-2), C Dalton (0-3); E Cully, O O’Sullivan (0-2), A Fanning (0-2).

Subs: S Hanafin for Cully (41 mins), D Swords for Cooke (54), E Mountaine for Von Engelbrechten (ET), N Dolan for Sinkey (65), F O Giollain for Burke (70+1), D Guerin for McGrath (75).

DUBLIN: A Smyth; F Bruton, T Clancy, E Nugent; A Gavin, G McEneaney (0-1), D O’Leary; E Dunne, M McDonald; C Dolan, R Keogh (0-4, three frees), S Smith (0-1); L Ward (0-1), J Quigley (0-5, three frees), D Dempsey.

Subs: B Costello (0-1) for Dempsey (h-t), J Cotter for Smith (45 mins), T Brennan for McDonald (50), D McGrath for O’Leary (62), C McMorrow for Cotter (ET), McDonald for Costello (66), C Moriarty for Quigley (70+1), C Burke for Dolan (77).

Referee: A Coyne (Westmeath)