Dublin shows style to lift Leinster Minor Football Championship title

A strong and fast team from Dublin turned the Leinster Minor Football final on its head in Portlaoise in the second half to finally highlight well-deserved winners.

It hadn’t looked like the Kildare minors could follow in their U20 side’s footsteps and beat Dublin in a Leinster final at the same venue as they led 5-0, 4-0 at half-time, despite being up against strong winds had played but it was such a different game in the second half.

Dave Reynolds introduced Charlie McMorrow and Clyde Burke at half-time and the latter in particular excelled and was unlucky on more than one occasion not to add a goal to his two points.

After Joey Cunningham scored the opening point of the game, Dublin took control of the game and took a 3-0 to 1-0 lead.

However, in the last ten minutes before half time, Kildare gained control of the game and beat Dublin 4-0 1-0, all points being scored by Killian Browne including a superb performance upwind.

From the very first ball in the second half, Dublin looked from a different side and they received a major boost when speedy corner defender Ryan Mitchell scored in the 34th minute.

Dublin had chances to really end the game midway through the second half but they couldn’t quite shake Kildare, though Burke and Reynolds raised hand with flags.

With four points between the teams, Kildare had fended off half-hearted appeals for a penalty when Eoin Cully clashed with Dublin goalkeeper David Leonard.

That seemed to spice Dublin up even further and they finished the game at a quick 1-2, their goal coming from Luke O’Boyle in the 58th minute.

It’s kind of a revenge for Dublin after they lost Kildare in the U20 final. The counties meet in the third of the trilogy of Leinster finals when the A teams meet on Saturday week.

Dublin: D Leonard; E Brady, D McCarthy, R Mitchell 1-0; J Brady, D Lucey, T Deering; D Clark, N Fitzgerald; P. Reynolds-Hand 0-3 (2fs), J. McCarville, L. O’Boyle 1-1; J Quigley 0-3 (2fs), C Donovan, D Mulqueen. Subtitle: C. Burke 0-2 for McCarville, h/t; C McMorrow 0-1 for Fitzgerald, h/t; J Smith for J Brady, 48; C Ó Riáin for Quigley, 60; Mullarkey S for Mulqueen, 60+2.

Kildare: F Quinn; N Cramer, E Lawlor, B Ryan; J McGuirk, J Harris, J Cunningham 0-1; R Sinkey, R Rainey; E Cully, B Loakman, C O’Reilly; TJ Nolan, K Browne 0-7 (5fs, 1’45), T Kelly. Subtitle: C Geraghty for Loakman, 42; C Kelly for O’Reilly, 46; DJ Percival for Nolan, 52; E O’Briain for Cunningham, 58; J Hanamy for Cully, 60.

Referee: P. Coyle (Meath).