With Conor Hogan
Down 1-16 Kildare 1-14
Wrap Up: Today’s semi-final was a wonderful game of football; it was exciting, competitive and played in a great spirit. Down were fantastic, Benny Coulter and Marty Clarke in particular. Coulter’s point to end the first half was as good as you’ll see all year. Down pulled into a seven point lead, only for Kildare to show great fighting spirit to come back, almost snatching it at the end, when Robert Kelly hit the underside of the crossbar from a freekick.
It wasn’t the first time the Lillywhites had hit the woodwork, Eamon O’Callaghan hitting the inside of the post early in the second half. Indeed, Kildare might count themselves extremely unlucky. Benny Coulter’s goal in the first half was clearly a square ball, while Alan Smith had a point wrongly flagged wide in the first half.
That is a four point swing in a match they lost by two points in. This isn’t to take away from Down, who were outstanding, and certainly the better team for most of the match. Down have history on their side going into the All-Ireland final, having never lost one.
Thanks very much for joining me today.
Let’s hope we get a final as good as the two semi-finals we’ve seen.
1718:
“Rollercoaster ride of emotion – everything that is good about the game was in evidence today. Just like last week. Unlike last week, however, the best team won,” says RTE’s Pat Spillane.
Full time
The ball is kicked out of play. Pat McEnaney blows his whistle. After an astonishing finish, Down have won.
Controversy at the end. There was a mad scramble and it looked like a penalty was given. But Pat McEnaney decides on a throw in. From the throw, Kildare win a free from 25 yards. Robert Kelly hits the crossbar. Incredible finish.
David Lyons scores for Kildare. Deep into injury time now and Marty Clarke has a chance to increase Down’s lead to three. He misses. Kildare can still win.
Unlucky for Kildare, James Kavanagh wins the ball, plays it back to Robert Kelly who hits the post.
John Doyle reduces Down’s lead to a goal with a free. He is now the leading scorer in the 2010 Championship.
Almost as soon as Lynch’s point dropped over the bar, supersub Ronan Murtagh scores a point for Down.
A bad tackle by Kalum King on Eamonn Callaghan earns him a yellow card. Hugh Lynch then scores a terrific point for Kildare, his second of the game.
Substitution for Down/ Ronan Murtagh comes on for Paul McComiskey. John Doyle goes for a point from a sideline ball, but it goes just wide. Hugh Lynch does score, however, for the Lillywhites.
Coulter scores immediately after the Kildare goal to relax the team. Lead back out to five points again.
The ball was tapped forward to Eamonn Callaghan, who rounded Brendan McVeigh and put it in the back of the net. Game on?
Goal Kildare
Marty Clake scores a terrific free kick. Conor Maginn then picks up a loose ball and hits one over from distance. Marty Clarke adds another. They have a seven point lead now with a quarter of an hour to go.
Down’s terrific blanket defence is making it nigh on impossible for Kildare to score. Late tackle by Hugh Lynch on Danny Hughes earns Dermot Earely’s late replacement a yellow card.
Brian Flanagan makes a good block and clearance. At the other end, a jersey is pulled and a free in is given to the Lillywhites. Karl Ennis scores the free, though they still find themselves four behind.
Down almost have a second goal. Marty Clarke’s shot is blocked by Morgan O’Flaherty. Down change: Conor Maginn comes on for John Clarke. David Lyons on for Morgan O’Flaherty of Kildare.
Eamonn Callaghan has a terrific chance for a goal, only for his shot to come off the inside of the post. The rebound is then missed. John Doyle then scores from a free to draw level with Bernard Brogan in the Championship scoring charts.
Coulter tries to recreate his first half point again but it goes wide. At the other end, Emmet Bolton scores Kildare’s first point since the mid point of the second half.
Eoghan O’Flaherty plays a long ball that Brendan McVeigh catches. McVeigh appears to be over the line, but referee Pat McEnaney doesn’t give a 45.
Second half begins like the first half ended, with Down on top and attacking. Benny Coulter takes a shot from out wide, unlike his stunner from the first half, it goes wide.
Liverpool are currently leading West Brom 1-0 thanks to a 65th minute goal from Fernando Torres. Aston Villa are leading 1-0 against Everton, through a ninth minute Luke Young goal.
Half time
Benny Coulter scores possibly the point of the season from an incredibly acute angle. Wonderful stuff.
Danny Hughes steps inside Emmet Bolton and taps the ball over the bar. They lead by four now. Kildare will have to show their second half prowess once again to have any chance.
Marty Clarke hits the ball straight into the hands of the Kildare goalkeeper Shane McCormack. Down have been much the better team in the last ten minutes.
Marty Clarke scores a point, before Paul McComiskey adds another. McComiskey had a chance for a goal, but decided to fist it over.
John Doyle is fouled, and he scores from the resulting free. He is now only one point behind Bernard Brogan as top scorer in the Championship.
Brian Flanagan earns himself a yellow card for a trip on Marty Clarke. Mark Poland scores the free, before Danny Hughes taps another point over.
James Kavanagh hits a horrible free wide from just in front of the posts. Incredible miss. John Doyle shows him how to shoot, with a very good score from 45 yards. Kildare have taken complete control of this match since the goal went in.
Allenwood’s John Doyle scores from a free to bring Kildare within a point. At the other end, Paul McComiskey drags a poor shot harmlessly wide.
Morgan O’Flaherty scores a point after a great pass from Daryl Flynn. Celtic defeated Motherwell 1-0 today thanks to a 73rd minute penalty from another Daryl; Daryl Murphy.
Mark Poland scores a free from distance to increase Down’s lead to a goal. The Lillywhites will feel incredibly hard done by after bossing the first ten minutes.
Disgraceful decision. A long ball is played into Benny Coulter, who punches the ball in the net while clearly inside the square. Kevin McKernan rubs salt into Kildare wounds with a point straight afterwards.
Goal Down
John Doyle taps over a free from just in front of the posts. Down look second best in all areas so far.
Emmet Bolton takes a shot from a long way out and puts it about ten yards wide. Even the umpires couldn’t get that one wrong. A long ball is played into Eamonn Callaghan. A goal looks like it’s on, but Callaghan chooses to put it over the ball. Down finally get on the score sheet through Kevin McKernan.
Marty Clarke has a free from distance that he pulls horribly wide. The match is being played at an incredible pace. Alan Smith scored what looked like a clear point, but the umpires waved it wide. Shocking decision.
All Kildare in the opening stages. Eamonn Callaghan puts them ahead with a wonderful curling shot.
Two wides for Kildare in the first two minutes. The latest one from Padraig O’Neill.
The ball is thrown in. I know it’s a cliche, but the atmosphere is absolutely electric.
No Dermot Earley. He failed his late fitness test. Hugh Lynch takes his place.
Martin Clarke v Peter Kelly is one of the key battles we at JOE have picked as one to look out for. To read more click here.
Interestingly, this is the first time these two teams have played each other in the Championship.
Down haven’t had to wait quite as long as Kildare, as they won the Sam Maguire in 1994, defeating Dublin 1-12 to 0-13. Down love playing in Croke Park. They’ve only played in five All-Ireland finals and won them all. That’s the most appearances in All-Ireland finals without losing.
The last time Kildare won the All-Ireland was in 1928, when they defeated Cavan 2-06 to 2-05. They have lost four finals since then.
I will also be keeping you up to date with all the Premier League action. Ten man Bolton have just come from two behind to level it up at 2-2, thanks to a lovely free-kick by Robbie Blake.
Kildare’s astonishing scoring record since their surprising loss to Louth in the Leinster Championship has made them favourites with the bookies. Only just, though. Kildare are 4/5 and Down are 11/8. The draw is 15/2.
“Kildare have racked up a whopping 5-49 against Meath, Monaghan and Derry and their spread of scorers is such that on his first championship start of the season against Meath, Eoghan O’Flaherty kicked five points.” JOE’s Conor Heneghan reckons Kildare will sneak it. To read his preview of this match click the hyperlink.
Across the channel, Birmingham are beating Bolton 2-1 away from home. The match was notable for a moment of madness, when Jusi Jaaskelainen slapped Roger Johnson across the face for seemingly no reason, earning him a red card. Bolton just pulled one back with a penalty from Kevin Davies.
There is no change from the Kildare team that was victorious over Meath, though they are still sweating over the fitness of Dermot Earley. Kildare have made one positional switch, John Doyle lining out in the half forward line and Eoghan O’Flaherty playing at right corner-forward.
There is only one change in the starting line-up for Down from the team that defeated Kerry. Peter Fitzpatrick replaces the injured Ambrose Rogers. Rogers will still take a place on the bench.
If we get a match half as exciting as the minor semi-final between Galway and Cork, then we’ll be happy. Cork were victorious 3-15 to 5-08 in an astonishing goal fest. Cork were nine points down and looked absolutely out of it.
The teams
Down:
Brendan McVeigh; Daniel McCartan, Dan Gordon, Damian Rafferty; Declan Rooney, Kevin McKernan, Conor Garvey; Peter Fitzpatrick, Kalum King; Daniel Hughes, Mark Poland, Paul McComiskey; Brendan Coulter, John Clarke, Martin Clarke.
Kildare:
Shane McCormack; Peter Kelly, Hugh McGrillen, Andriú MacLochlainn; Morgan O’Flaherty, Emmet Bolton, Brian Flanagan; Daryl Flynn, Dermot Earley; James Kavanagh, Padraig O’Neill, Eoghan O’Flaherty; John Doyle, Alan Smith, Eamonn Callaghan.
