Offaly minor footballers lose out to Kildare in high scoring championship opener
The Offaly minor footballers lost out to Kildare in a high scoring Leinster Minor Football Championship opener in Hawkfield in Kildare on Wednesday evening.
Leinster Minor Football Championship Round 1
Kildare 3-15
Offaly 2-11
There was little to chose between the sides in the opening ten minutes but a scoring burst of 2-4 from Kildare to just one point in reply saw them open a ten point lead with 22 minutes on the clock.
To Offaly's credit, they never threw in the towel and a goal from Cillian Bourke got them back in the game and at the break they trailed by 2-8 to 1-5.
The sides exchanged points early in the second half before Bourke struck for a second goal with 43 minutes on the clock to get Offaly back within two and an incredible comeback was certainly on the cards.
However Kildare managed to extend their lead gradually and led by 2-12 to 2-8 with nine minutes remaining before a goal from Cian Keaveny put seven points between the side again and effectively put the game out of Offaly's reach.
But again Offaly didn't give up and they matched Kildare score for score in the closing minutes but lost out by 3-15 to 2-11.
Next up for Offaly is a home game against Laois next Wednesday. Laois started their campaign with a 2-12 to 1-2 win over Longford last night.
Scorers
Kildare, Joey Cunningham 0-9 (0-4 frees), Jack McCabe 1-1, Tadhg Donlan 1-0, Cian Keaveny 1-0, Evan Donnelly 0-1, Harry Redmond 0-1, Cathal Moore 0-1 (0-1 frees), Harry Goulding 0-1, Liam O'Connor 0-1.
Offaly, Cillian Bourke 2-0, Fionn Carney 0-4 (0-4 frees), Robert Carney 0-2 (0-1 frees), Kaelem Byran 0-1, Rory Grehan 0-1, Brian Carroll 0-1, Cristian McKeon 0-1, Craig Weldon 0-1 (0-1 frees).
Teams
KILDARE: Cathal Moore; Liam Kelly, Rob Murray, Michael Chambers; James Donnelly, Senan Murphy, Colm Moran; Evan Boyle, Ben Ryan; Donnchadh Kinch, Joey Cunnigham, Tadhg Donlan; Cian Keaveny, Evan Donnelly, Harry Redmond.
Subs: Jack McCabe on for Cian Keaveny (36 minutes), Aodan Jordan on for Liam Kelly (46 minutes), Liam O'Connor on for Evan Boyle (49 minutes), Dara Cooke on for Donnchadh Finch (56 minutes), Ruaidhri Lawlor on for Rob Murray (56 minutes).
OFFALY: Donnacha Keoghan; Rory Green, Patrick Kenna, Harry Goulding; Christian McKeon, Enda McLoughlin, Brian Carroll; Cillian Bourke, Mark Mulrooney; Cameron Egan, Robert Carney, Cillian Foran; Dara Bates, Kaelem Bryan, Fionn Carney.
Subs: Cian Bracken on for Dara Bates (27 minutes), Harry grant on for Mark Mulrooney (49 minutes), Ricky Geoghegan on for Rory Grehan (56 minutes), Craig Weldon on for Fionn Carney (59 minutes), Callum Kelly on for Robert Carney (62 minutes).
Referee: Stephen Fagan (Wicklow)