Kildare is rising and you better believe it.
Leinster minor champions in 2015. Leinster minor champions in 2016.
Now, they’ve gone and won the whole thing, conquered the land.
Kildare are the first ever All-Ireland under-20 football champions after they held on to see off Mayo in Croke Park in the decider.
Kildare 1-18 Mayo 1-16
After Tyrone, Mayo and then Dublin won the under-21 All-Ireland in the last three years, the Lilywhites took their turn and they took it with aplomb.
It’s a remarkable story, the rise in Kildare. They lost to Meath by a point back in June in the group stages of the Leinster championship but six victories in succession saw them fly to the very top.
Dublin were destroyed by eight points in the provincial decider, the mighty Kerry and all their recent minor success were defeated by a point in the semis and now Mayo.
Dublin, Kerry, Mayo. All-Ireland championship victories don’t get more convincing than that.
A Brian McLoughlin goal after seven minutes ended up doing a lot of the damage as the imposing Kildare forward latched onto a lofted ball, burst his way inside and finished calmly to give Kildare a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Brian McLoughlin with an early goal for Kildare. pic.twitter.com/JR9CXzjxzc
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 5, 2018
Despite Ryan O’Donoghue scoring a magnificent goal at the other end, the Leinster outfit were able to keep Mayo at an arm’s lengths and, with the Westerners surging back into the tie, a terrific stop from Aaron O’Neill kept Kildare’s position solid.
They did have to stave off a late show though but, after shooting the lights out, they showed the steel that has underlined everything they do.
Kildare are All-Ireland under-20 champions. They hadn’t won the under-21 competition since 1965.
Kildare are coming.
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