Kildare 0-19 Dublin 0-24 (aet)
Dublin snatched their first Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup title since 2008, thanks to a 0-24 to 0-19 extra-time win over Kildare in Newbridge.
Jim Gavin's men saw a six-point lead in the 22nd minute slip from their grasp, as Kildare aided by strong displays from Darroch Mulhall, Eamon Callaghan and substitute Padraig Fogarty helped them draw level.
Tied 0-16 apiece at the end of normal time, it was Dublin who kicked on in extra-time, despite having a Kevin McManamon penalty effort blocked, with Dean Rock leading the scoring charge.
Kildare were forced to make one change, with team captain Eoghan O’Flaherty ruled out prior to the final and his place taken by Eamon Murphy.
Little separated the sides in the opening quarter, and the sides were level at 0-3 apiece following a Darroch Mulhall score after 14 minutes.
Dublin raced 0-9 to 0-3 in front eight minutes later, with Jonny Cooper, McManamon, Rock and Brady on target.
Dublin hit a lean patch, as they have done in all of their games so far this year, as Kildare bounced back with four unanswered points.
The hosts began to play more of an attacking brand of football, and were rewarded for their efforts.
After Mulhall fired his sides' fifth wide from a free, the Lilywhites opted for a change of free-taker, with Eamon Murphy stepping up.
The Leixlip clubman showed his merit, claiming Kildare’s first score in 15 minutes after he slotted over from a placed ball.
Kildare were on a run at this stage, with Paudie O’Neill and Mulhall among their scorers as they cut the gap to two points on a 0-9 to 0-7 scoreline after 34 minutes.
Hugh Lynch was showing well for Kildare at midfield at this stage, but Dublin managed the final score of the half, as Rock slotted over his fifth point, and a fourth from a free to open up a three-point gap at the break.
Dublin then moved 0-13 to 0-11 ahead as the game entered the final quarter, with Darren Daly coming on for Jack McCaffrey.
Scores from Mulhall and Fionn Dowling saw Kildare draw level at 0-13 apiece, with 14 minutes left on the clock.
Johnny Cooper became the first Dublin player to pick up a black card this season, before a 61st minute point sent the home support into raptures.
Leading by 0-14 to 0-13, Kildare sensed victory, but this game was far from over.
Rock tied the game in the 64th minute, before Tomas Brady edged Dublin ahead.
Kildare claimed to two quick-fire points, with substitute Padraig Fogarty pushing them ahead.
However, defender Eoin Culligan stepped up in the first minute of injury-time to level the tie, but there were still chances for both sides to register a winner.
There was drama aplenty late on with Michael Dara MacAuley red carded, while Mulhall missed a match-winning free at the death.
Tied at 0-16 apiece, extra-time beckoned, with a sense of deja-vu firmly at play.
Having pulled through a cracking final after extra-time against the same opposition two years ago, home hopes were high that this might be the case at St Conleth’s Park.
Indeed Kildare started extra-time brightly with the first point, but once Dublin dug in their was no stopping the visitors.
Ahead by 0-20 to 0-19 at half-time in extra-time, Dublin added further after the restart while holding Kildare scoreless to take victory
DUBLIN: S Currie; M Fitzsimons, Rory O’Carroll, E Culligan; N Devereux, J Small, J McCaffrey; D Bastick, E Ó Conghaile; T Brady, D Rock, N Scully; E O’Gara, C Costello. Subs: J Cooper for Devereux inj (12); S Carthy for Scully (HT); P Ryan for Costello (HT); MD MacAuley for Bastick (48); D Daly for McCaffrey (52); G Hannigan for Cooper (BC 62); D Bastick extra-man in ET (following McAuley red card); M Deegan for O’Gara (80); H Dawson for Brady (88); N Collins for McManamon (89).
Scorers: D Rock 0-10 (0-08f, 0-1 ’45); K McManamon 0-04; T Brady 0-03; E O’Gara, S Carthy 0-02 each, C Costello, E Culligan, M Deegan 0-01 each.
KILDARE: M Donnellan; C Fitzpatrick, P Kelly, O Lyons; D O’Brien, M O’Grady, E Doyle; H Lynch, P O’Neill; E Murphy, E Callaghan, K Murnaghan; F Dowling, T O’Connor, D Mulhall. Subs: K Cribbin for Doyle (42); G White for Lynch (49); G Farrell for Fitzpatrick (51); P Fogarty for Murphy (56); D Whyte for Dowling (78); B Kinahan for O’Grady (85);W Burke for Mulhall (89).
Scorers: D Mulhall 0-07 (0-07f); E Callaghan, P Fogarty 0-03 each; E Murphy (0-02f), Padraig O’Neill 0-02 each; F Dowling, G White 0-1 each.
Referee: David Gough (Meath)
