Senior footballers power their way into Leinster final

Mon, 29th June 2015

DUBLIN 5-18 KILDARE 0-14

Dublin are into their tenth Leinster SFC final in 11 years after outclassing Kildare in Sunday's semi-final at Croke Park.

The Dubs are several divisions above the Lilywhites in the league and that gap was reflected in Sunday's one-sided duel at headquarters.

Dean Rock's ninth minute goal put the Dubs on the road to victory and when Bernard Brogan added a second four minutes later, with a lethal half-volley, the Lilywhites were in deep trouble when trailing 2-3 to 0-2.

In defence the Dubs were quicker to the breaks, tackled better and in Jonny Cooper had a defender operating at the top of his game with his rob on Padraig Fogarty in the early minutes a good portent for Jim Gavin's side.

Up front Ciaran Kilkenny's kicking accuracy was back to its best as he punished Kildare at every available opportunity.

By the break Dublin had moved out of sight as Diarmuid Connolly's clinically taken 36th minute goal pushed his side 3-10 to 0-6 clear and as good as into the Leinster final, where Westmeath await, on Sunday, July 12.

Without having to over-extend themselves Dublin kept Jason Ryan's men at arm's length in the second period with goals from Bernard Brogan, following good interplay with Paddy Andrews, and Connolly, from the penalty spot after Dean Rock was fouled, inside the last ten minutes putting a more emphatic look on the final scoreline.

Alan Brogan was introduced as a second half sub and added energy and scoring power to the Dublin attack as they now prepare for the defence of the Delaney Cup in two weeks time.

SCORERS - Dublin: B Brogan, D Connolly (1-0 pen) 2-3 each, D Rock 1-4 (0-4f), C Kilkenny 0-4, A Brogan 0-3, P McMahon 0-1. Kildare: E O'Flaherty 0-4 (0-2f), P Fogarty 0-3 (0-1 '45'), P O'Neill 0-2, E Bolton, P Cribbin, C McNally, A Smith, N Kelly 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, J Cooper, R O'Carroll; J Small, C O'Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, MD Macauley; P Flynn, K McManamon, C Kilkenny; D Rock, D Connolly B Brogan. Subs: J McCarthy for Small (43), A Brogan for McManamon (43), P Andrews for Flynn (58), M Fitzsimons for O'Carroll (58), E O Conghaile for Fenton (63), D Daly for O'Sullivan (64).

KILDARE: M Donnellan; O Lyons, M O'Grady, C Fitzpatrick; K Murnaghan, E Doyle, E Bolton; G White, P Cribbin; P O'Neill, E O'Flaherty, C McNally; A Smith, P Fogarty, E Callaghan. Subs: N Kelly for Callaghan (11), T Moolick for White (46), H Lynch for McNally (46), C Heeney for Donnellan (64, bc), F Dowling for Bolton (66).

REF: D Coldrick (Meath).