Moorefield 2-12
Athy 2-9
By Robert Cribbin
Moorefield are the Kildare Senior Football Championship winners after they battled to a hard fought three point victory over Athy.
Two first half goals from Mark McDermott and Eddie Heavey laid the platform for the Moorefield victory in a game they led from the off.
Athy were always up against it after goalkeeper Stephen Davis received a straight red card in the 15th minute and even though Kevin Feely scored two second half goals, their effort still fell up short.
It was Moorefield who had the dream opening with Adam Tyrrell finding Eddie Heavey free inside and the centre forward rifled a shot into the top corner.
Athy replied with a James Eaton score from play but an excellent Adam Tyrrell free had Moorefield back in front by three points.
Eddie Heavey soon extended the lead and Moorefield were well clear by the 15th minute as they got a second goal with Mark McDermott palming to the net past Stephen Davis after a fine team move with Tyrrell feeding Aaron Masterson inside and he then laid off for McDermott to score.
It got worse for Athy as after the ball found the net goalkeeper Stephen Davis came into contact with Niall Hurley Lynch and he was given a straight red card by referee Billy O’Connell.
Tyrrell followed up with successive points to give Moorefield a 2-4 to 0-2 advantage with Athy finally breaking their barren scoring spell in the 27th minute with a Liam McGovern free.
Moorefield could have been even further clear at the break as Hurley-Lynch and Tyrrell both missed a couple of goal opportunities.
Hurley Lynch did round up the scoring for the half with a well taken point in stoppage time as the defending Leinster Champions cruised into a 2-5 to 0-2 lead.
McGovern kicked Athy’s opening score of the second half with a free directly from the restart to keep them somewhat in touch.
Moorefield then thought they had a third goal when Eddie Heavey kicked home from a move involving Hurley Lynch and Eanna O’Connor but it was later disallowed for a square ball.
Athy responded with Niall Kelly kicking a couple of nice efforts but they were quickly cancelled out by scores from Tyrrell and substitute Ronan Sweeney.
The game looked to be sleep walking to its inevitable conclusion as Tyrrell, Hurley Lynch and Eanna O’Connor kicked points for the Newbridge side but Athy hit back.
McGovern and Cian Reynolds added points before Kevin Feely fisted in a goal in the 50th minute after a long ball into the square from Niall Kelly.
O’Connor calmed Moorefield down with a free but Athy struck again for their second goal in four minutes with Feely converting a penalty after he was fouled in the square.
Athy would get no closer though as even though McGovern and Sean Ronan kicked late points, a brilliant Adam Tyrrell score on the turn rubberstamped back to back County Titles for Moorefield.
Scorers for Moorefield: Adam Tyrrell 0-6 (0-3fs), Eddie Heavey 1-1, Mark McDermott 1-0, Niall Hurley Lynch 0-2, Eanna O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f), Ronan Sweeney 0-1
Scorers for Athy: Kevin Feely 2-0, Liam McGovern 0-4 (0-3fs), Niall Kelly 0-2, Sean Ronan 0-1, James Eaton 0-1, Cian Reynolds 0-1.
Moorefield: Tom Corley; Liam Callaghan, Liam Healy, Sean Healy, Kevin Murnaghan, Anthony Durney, James Murray, Daryl Flynn, Aaron Masterson, Cian O’Connor, Eddie Heavey, Eanna O’Connor, Adam Tyrrell, Mark McDermott, Niall Hurley- Lynch.
Subs used: Ronan Sweeney for McDermott 37 mins, Ìan Meehan for Heavey 46 mins, Adam Sweeney for S.Healy 53 mins, Aaron Mullins for C.O’Connor 55 mins, Ciaran Kelly for R.Sweeney (Black Card) 60 mins, Jason Phillips for Hurley Lynch 61 mins.
Athy: Stephen Davis; Tomas Foley, Killian Mulhall, Conor Ronan, Sean Ronan, Michael Foley, John Moran, David Hyland, Pascal Connell, Tony Gibbons, Liam McGovern, Mark Hyland, James Eaton, Kevin Feely, Niall Kelly.
Subs used: Matthew Anderson for C.Ronan 16 mins, Cian Reynolds for M.Foley 38 mins, Barry Kelly for Gibbons 42 mins, Paddy Dunne for Connell (Black Card) 43 mins, Conor Ronan for T.Foley (Black Card) 53 mins.
Ref: Billy O’Connell
