Kildare have retained their Leinster U-20 football title with a three-point over Dublin after extra time at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Ryan Sinkey set the tone for the evening very early on with a booming score in the third minute of the game, the first of three excellent points executed by Sinkey in the opening half.
The Dublin response was strong as they settled well into the game and began to take control, with Joe Quigley in the same form as Sinkey in front of the posts.
A roving run from Luke Ward gave Dublin their first real sight at goal midway through the first half. Ward made light work of the challenge from James Harris before bearing down on goal, only to be denied by the feet of Barker in the Kildare goal.
There was another beautiful exchange of scores between Quigley and Sinkey, with the first-half display of both players giving the crowd plenty to enjoy.
The quality of scoring in the first 20 minutes was a joy to watch, with both sides showing an incredible level of accuracy and skill from distance as they battled for position on the scoreboard.
Two huge scores from distance late in the half from Greg McEnEaney and Seamus Smith personified this quality as Dublin led by two at the break 0-07 to 0-05.
Of the 12 first-half scores that the crowd were treated to, amazingly only one came from a free.
The battle continued between the sides after the restart.
The score of the game came from the ground, with Ross Keogh slotting over a free from distance to keep the Dublin scoreboard ticking over.
Kildare, to their credit, stuck to their task admirably, matching Dublin physically and more importantly on the scoreboard.
Their purple patch arrived midway through the second period with a quartet of points swinging the momentum and the lead their way with 10 minutes remaining.
A fourth from play for the impressive Sinkey before three unanswered points from Dalton, Bolton and Adam Fanning saw the Lilies enter the driving seat at a vital moment in the game.
A levelling point from Bill Costello left an exciting final finely poised entering the home straight.
With two minutes remaining, the ever reliable Joe Quigley pointed a free for Dublin to edge them in front.
The drama wasn't quite done yet. With the game deep into injury time and Kildare trailing by a point, Colm Dalton showed huge composure to raise a white flag and send the game to extra time.
The battle continued under the lights over the additional 20 minutes, with inspirational points from Callum Bolton and Shane Farrell swinging the tie back in favour of Kildare
Lilies goalkeeper Cormac Barker kicked off the second period of extra-time in style, pointing a free just inside the post off the ground as Kildare extended their lead to three with eight minutes left to play.
Their supporters roared their netminder back up the pitch as they sensed something special unfolding in Carlow.
There was time for a consolation Ross Keogh free from the Dubs but that was the best they could muster as Kildare deservedly held on to their crown.
Kildare: Cormac Baker (0-1); Harry O'Neill, Tomas Von Engelbrechten, Ryan Burke; James Harris, James McGrath, Jack McKevitt; Fionn Cooke, Shane Farrell (0-2, 1f); Ryan Sinkey (0-4), Callum Bolton (0-2), Colm Dalton (0-3); Adam Fanning (0-2), Oisin O’Sullivan (0-2), Eoin Cully
Subs: Sean Hannifin for Eoin Cully (42), Darragh Swords for Fionn Cooke (54), Ethan Moutaine for Tomas Von Engelbrechten (61), Niall Dolan for Ryan Sinkey (64), Fionn O’Giollain for Ryan Burke (69), Daire Guerin for James McGrath (75)
Dublin: Andrew Smyth; Finn Bruton, Theo Clancy, Evan Nugent; Dan O’Leary, Michael McDonald, Alex Gavin; Ethan Dunne, Greg McEneaney (0-1); Conor Dolan, Luke Ward (0-1), Seamus Smith (0-1); Darragh Dempsey, Joe Quigley (0-5, 3f), Ross Keogh (0-4, 3f)
Subs: Bill Costello (0-1) for Darragh Dempsey (31), James Cotter for Seamus Smith (45), Tom Brennan for Michael McDonald (50), Dara McGrath for Dan O’Leary (60), Charlie McMorrow for James Cotter (62), Michael McDonald for Bill Costello (66), Caelum Moriarty for Joe Quigley (69), Clyde Burke for Conor Dolan (76)
