Tipperary 0-11 Kildare 0-9
By Paul Keane
Tipperary’s minor footballers joined their hurling counterparts in an All-Ireland final with a two-point win in a tense semi-final at Croke Park.
It will be the first time in 60 years that the Premier County have reached both underage deciders, with eight players featuring in both squads this time round.
Tipp had to overcome the handicap of a second-half red card for Emmett Moloney, who had earlier been booked.
With his side leading by three with 15 minutes to go Moloney received a second yellow for a late high challenge on Matthew Kelly, and Jimmy Hyland converted the resulting free.
Kildare, with the extra man, trailed by just two now and reduced it to a single point in the 48th minute when Matthew Kelly boomed over a beauty from the left wing.
That narrowest margin remained between them with six minutes remaining as Tipp sat on a 0-10 to 0-9 advantage.
Kildare went for goals late on and perhaps should have settled for points. Tipp ultimately did just enough to hang on with sub Stephen Quirke registering an insurance score in the 59th minute.
The side had been level 0-6 each at the break, but Tipp were inspired by outstanding midfielder Jack Kennedy – who kicked four points – in a contest that never took off as a spectacle and finished with some scuffles between opposing players after the final whistle.
Tipp now face Kerry in the final, a rematch of the Munster decider which Kerry won easily.
Ethan O’Donoghue, Kildare, in action against Liam Fahy, Tipperary.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jack Kennedy 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Alan Tynan 0-3 (0-2f), Brian McGrath, Aidan Buckley, Brendan Martin, Stephen Quirke 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kildare: Ciaran Kelly 0-4 (0-4f), Jimmy Hyland (0-2f), Conor Hartley 0-2 each, Matthew Kelly 0-1.
TIPPERARY: C Manton, T Lowry J Skehan, T Fitzgerald, D Owens, L Fahy, E Moloney, J Kennedy, T Nolan, C English, A Tynan, A Buckley, R Peters, B McGrath, B Martin
Subs: 1S Quirke for Peters (27), J Bergin for English (44), M Irwin for Martin (51), M Kehoe for Buckley (51), G Whelan for Fahy (black card) (61)
KILDARE: D Campbell, S Healy, M Joyce, D Lawlor, R Slattery, S Ryan, G Burke, D Courtney, R Feely, B McLoughlin, M Kelly, C Hartley, C Kelly, E O’Donoghue (Clane), J Hyland
Subs: SS Lawler for Healy (41), E O’Neill for McLoughlin (48), R Bannon for Slattery (56), K O’Callaghan for O’Donoghue (56), A Murphy for Kelly (59)
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)