Allianz Hurling Div 2B Final
Goals clinch title for Lilys
Kildare 3-13
Meath 1-12
LATE goals from Richie Hoban and Martin Fitzgerald proved decisive in Parnell Park yesterday, as Kildare overcame Meath in a gripping Allianz National Hurling League Division 2B decider.
In a scrappy opening, Meath took the lead courtesy of a free from centre-forward Noel Kirby, but an excellent sideline from Danny Butler, and a long-range free from centre-back Richie Hoban, gave Kildare a slender lead eight minutes in.
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Kirby would quickly cancel out Hoban’s score with a similar effort, they exchanged more scores to make it 0-5 each.
Kildare threatened to pull away towards the end of the half with two more Paul Divilly efforts, but a goal from early replacement Colm O Mealoid at the end of a fine move 31 minutes in gave Cillian Farrell’s side a marginal 1-5 to 0-7 lead at the interval.
Kildare would soon raise their first green flag of the contest, when full-forward Tony Murphy flicked brilliantly to the net from a Conor Kenny delivery.
The two teams were level with seven minutes remaining, as Kildare’s Johnny Enright and Mark Moloney swapped scores with Meath’s Noel Kirby.
The Lilywhites pulled away though, with a Danny Butler point being followed by a Richie Hoban effort from a long-range free on 65 minutes, and then a third goal through Martin Fitzgerald gave them a seven-point cushion, and they ran out convincing winners.
KILDARE: P Dermody; P Reidy, F O Muineachain, J Doran; K Divilly, R Hoban (1-1, 1-1f), N O Muineachain; D Butler (0-2, 1f, 1 s/line), M Moloney (0-1); C Kenny, P Divilly (0-6, 6f), D Harney; M Fitzgerald (1-2), T Murphy (1-0), L Quinn. SUBS: D Smyth for Murphy (25-27, blood sub), J Enright (0-1) for Quinn (h-t), J O’Malley for K Divilly (47), R Kelly for Harney (49).
MEATH: S McGann; C Reilly, D Healy, S Morris; J Togher, P Fagan, E Keogh; S Clynch (0-3, 3f), S Donoghue; S Heavey (0-1), N Kirby (0-7, 7f), E Marsh; J Kelly (0-1), D Doran, P Durnin. SUBS: C O Mealoid (1-0) for Marsh (19), C Fitzsimons for Donoghue (42), N Horan for Durnin (48), M Cole for Kelly (64), K Keoghan for Heavey (69).
REFEREE: E Hasson (Derry).