Celbridge retain Kildare SHC title with win over Éire Óg/Corrachoill

Celbridge 0-23 Éire Óg/Corrachoill 2-11: Celbridge regained the Kildare senior hurling crown with six points to spare over Éire Óg/Corrachoill at a dreary St Conleths Park yesterday.

Gerry Keegan spearheaded the Celbridge charge with seven magnificent points from play as the Blues bagged their fourth title in five years.

The winners took an early four-point lead but two goals in two minutes from Paul Kennedy and veteran Joe Dempsey edged the challengers ahead.

Six unanswered points from Mark Moloney, Billy White, Danny Butler, Sam White and a Keegan brace helped Celbridge into a 0-12 to 2-3 lead at the interval.

Scores from Declan O'Toole (two) and Kennedy drew the teams level but Celbridge and in particular, Keegan stepped up a gear. The full-forward swung over four more points from play to seal the victory.

CELBRIDGE: N Lanigan, T Finnerty, F Ó Muineacháin, P Curtin, K Murphy, N Ó Muineacháin, S White (0-1), D Moloney, B White (0-7, 0-6 frees), M Moloney (0-2), T Murphy (0-3), F Conway, D Butler (0-2), G Keegan (0-7), S Cotter (0-1). Subs: N Kenny for Conway (43 mins), S O'Flynn for D Moloney (52 mins), D Kirwan for Cotter (54 mins), K Bracken for Butler (58 mins).
ÉIRE ÓG/CORRACHOILL: P Dermody, K Moran, B Fitzpatrick, T Cullen, K Connor, D Curran, M Kelly, P Kennedy (1-2), J Enright, J Dempsey (1-0), P Clifford (0-1), JP Crotty, D O'Toole (0-7, four frees), P Ryan, E Dempsey (0-1). Subs: R Whelan for Crotty (39 mins), S Cooke for Clifford (42 mins), L Power for Ryan (50 mins), G Johnson for Connor (55 mins).
Referee: D Coady (Ros Glas).