Kildare To Croke Park For 1st Ever Joe McDonagh Cup Final

Saturday, 24 May 2025 16:55

By Emma O'Connor

The full time score was Kildare 1-26 Down 1-14. Final opponents will be Laois.

Kildare are heading to Croke Park for their first ever Joe McDonagh Cup final after their fourth successive win in the

Group stage at Cedral St Conleths Park.

Westmeath's win over Kerry means Down avoid relegation to the Christy Ring Cup .

The scores were level at 0-04 each after 12 minutes, but Kildare took over and went into the half time break leading by 1-14 to 0-07.

Kildare lost midfielder James Burke to injury, with the likes of Cathal McCabe, Simon Leacy and the exceptional Cian Boran all having terrific games.

Forwards goalscorer David Qualter and Gerry Keegan were prominent.

Kildare’s goal arrived in the 29th minute. Boran won the ball back on his own 45 metre line and played a ball to Daire Guerin. The wing forward carried the ball into the heart of the Down defence, passed to Qualter who rattled the net.

Down scored three of the first four points of the second half but Kildare were soon on top again and Keegan shot for goal, but his 48th minute shot was saved.

Kildare went up another gear in the final quarter, with Qualter’s free taking took him into double digits and Killian Harrington also scored off the bench.

Down scored a consolation goal late in injury time but a Kildare win was already done,

A late goal that Laois scored against Carlow to earn a draw means they will be Kildare’s opponents in Croke Park in two weeks’ time.

FINAL SCORE: KILDARE 1-26 DOWN 1-14

Kildare: Paddy McKenna; Richy Hogan, Rian Boran, Daniel O’Meara, Paul Dolan (0-01), Simon Leacy (0-01); Cathal McCabe (0-01), James Burke (0-01); Daire Guerin, Darragh Melville (0-03), David Qualter (1-13, 0-12f, 0-01 '65), Gerry Keegan (0-03), Cathal Dowling (0-01), Jack Sheridan.

Subs: Jack Travers (0-01) for Burke (25); Conn Kehoe for Sheridan (57); Liam O’Reilly for McCabe (61); Killian Harrington (0-01) for Dowling (64); Jack Higgins for Keegan (66).