Moorefield 2-12 Athy 2-9
Leinster champions Moorefield lifted their 10th Kildare senior football title - and ninth since 2000 - by defeating 14-man Athy on Sunday in Newbridge.
Moorefield raced out of the traps and scored two goals inside the first quarter, a fourth minute effort by Eddie Heavey, before another by Mark McDermott in the 15th minute. Athy goalkeeper Stephen Davis was shown a red card in the aftermath of McDermott’s goal for lashing out at Niall Hurley-Lynch and they were left with a huge uphill battle from then.
With man of the match, Adam Tyrell, leading the way in the attack, Moorefield led 2-5 to 0-2 at half time and were 2-10 to 0-7 ahead with 12 minutes to play.
Athy had no choice but to throw everything forward in the closing stages and were given some hope when a long ball by Niall Kelly was fisted into the net by Kevin Feely.
Feely then won, and scored, a 55th minute penalty to cut the lead to four points.
There were some nervous moments in injury time as Athy continued to bombard the Moorefield square with high balls but with Daryl Flynn moved back to look after Feely.
Moorefield will now look to defend their Leinster title as successfully as their Kildare one.
Moorefield: T Corley; L Callaghan, L Healy, S Healy, K Murnaghan, A Durney, J Murray, D Flynn, A Masterson, C O'Connor, E Heavey (1-1), E O'Connor (0-2 (0-1f), A Tyrrell (0-6, 0-3 frees), M McDermott (1-0), N Hurley- Lynch (0-2).
Subs: R Sweeney (0-1) for McDermott (37 mins), I Meehan for Heavey (46 mins), A Sweeney for S Healy (53 mins), Aaron Mullins for C O’Connor (55 mins), C Kelly for R Sweeney (black card 60 mins), J Phillips for Hurley-Lynch (60+1 mins).
Athy: S Davis; T Foley, K Mulhall, C Ronan, S Ronan (0-1), M Foley, J Moran, K Feely (2-0, 1-0 penalty), P Connell, T Gibbons, L McGovern (0-4, 0-3 frees), M Hyland, J Eaton (0-1), K Feely, N Kelly (0-2).
Subs: M Anderson for C Ronan (16 mins), Cian Reynolds (0-1) for M Foley (38 mins), Barry Kelly for Gibbons (42 mins), P Dunne for Connell (black card 43 mins), C Ronan for T Foley (black card 53 mins).
Referee: B O’Connell
