Kildare assume control early

Kildare 2-13 Sligo 3-5: Kildare ran Sligo ragged for the first 30 minutes of the junior final at Croke Park yesterday. Then Sligo upped the tempo and with three second-half goals gave Kildare a real scare. Kildare looked edgy but deservedly hung on.

Brianne Leahy's victory speech mentioned the hunger that drove the Lilywhites and it was evident in the first quarter.

The Kildare midfield of Brianne and Kate Leahy was too strong for Sligo, while Tracey Noone was a constant threat.

Elaine Dillon's 22nd-minute goal gave Kildare breathing space and Noone's shot, fumbled by Katrina Connolly, made it 2-5 to 0-3 at half-time.

Then the pendulum swung. Therese Marren goaled on 40 minutes. Louise Brett added another. And when Noelle Gormley's shot squirmed past Edel O'Brien, Sligo were within three points.

But Kildare weathered the storm - though Noelle Earley's spot kick was wide of the target - and sealed it with two late points.

KILDARE: E O'Brien; M O'Brien, A Hughes, C Flanagan; A Lambe, A Holton, M Moolick; B Leahy (capt), K Leahy; S Cannon, N Earley (0-3, 1 free), E Dillon (1-2, 1 free); S Gilabert (1-2), T Noone (0-6, 3 frees), J Cunningham. Subs: D Berry for Lambe (40 mins); S Brosnan for Gilabert (43 mins).

SLIGO: K Connolly; F Maye, G O'Gara, R Goodwin; M McGowan (capt), J Mulligan, C Currid; A Doohan, B Byrne; L Brett (1-1, 1 free), S O'Reilly (0-2, 2 frees), I McNulty; N Gormley (1-2), S McTiernan, L Harte. Subs: S O'Sullivan for Maye, N Mannion for McTiernan (both h-t); T Marren (1-0) for O'Sullivan (38 mins); J O'Connell for McGowan (43 mins).

Referee: B Gallagher (Tyrone).