Athy 1-11 Moorefield 0-12
The Dermot Bourke Cup will reside outside the town of Newbridge for the first time since 2011 after Athy defeated Moorefield to win the Kildare Senior Football Championship for the seventh time in their history.
Super sub Danny O'Keefe was the Athy hero in coming off the bench to score 1-01 with his 53rd minute goal the turning point after Moorefield looked in prime position to win another crown.
Athy were the last side to win the title outside of Sarsfields and Moorefield and the fact the South Kildare side overcame both on the way to the success makes it all the sweeter.
It was a repeat of the 2018 county final and the first half was a very scrappy affair with Athy having a sizeable wind advantage at their backs.
Moorefield could barely get out of their own half in the opening quarter and Athy raced into a four point lead with James Eaton and Liam McGovern sharing a brace of efforts each.
Moorefield eventually woke from their slumber when corner back Sean Dempsey got forward and kicked over in the 17th minute to reduce the lead. But it was a half that Athy dominated and if it wasn’t for eight wides they would have been further clear on the scoreboard.
McGovern and Niall Kelly added further points for Athy before the break with Moorefield’s response coming via Eanna O’Connor and Cian O’Connor as Vinny Walsh’s team led 0-06 to 0-03 at the break.
After Aaron Masterson and Barry Kelly exchanged points at the beginning of the second half, Moorefield began to reel Athy’s lead in with Eanna O’Connor, Adam Tyrrell and Niall Hurley Lynch all scoring to level up matters at the second water break.
O’Connor, with an exquisite effort from play, edged Moorefield into the lead for the first time in the 51st minute before Danny O’Keefe emerged from the Athy bench to fire home a game-winning goal.
Kevin Feely followed up with a well taken point and Athy were in control with just a few minutes left on the clock.
That feeling of security increased when Cian O’Connor was sent off on a second yellow card for Moorefield late on and while Mark McDermott and Adam Tyrrell kicked over points to reduce the deficit it was always going to be Athy’s day with a Danny O’Keefe insurance score crowning a two point victory.
Athy: James Roycroft; Mark Hyland, Sean Ronan, Darren Lawler, Brian Maher, Mick Foley, David Hyland, Kevin Feely 0-01 (0-01f), Paschal Connell, Liam McGovern 0-02 (0-2fs), Tony Gibbons, Barry Kelly 0-1, John Moran, James Eaton 0-02 (0-01 mark, 0-01f), Niall Kelly 0-03 (0-1f).
Subs: Kieran Farrell 0-01 for Moran 39 mins, Danny O’Keefe 1-01 for N.Kelly 42 mins, Paul Whelan for Maher 45 mins, Cian Reynolds for Gibbons 60 mins.
Moorefield: Tom Kinsella; Liam Callaghan, Liam Healy, Sean Dempsey 0-01, Ian Meehan, Mark Dempsey, Anthony Durney, Aaron Masterson 0-01, Kevin Murnaghan, Cian O’Connor 0-01, Adam Tyrrell 0-02, Ryan Houlihan, Eanna O’Connor 0-05 (0-2fs), Jason Phillips, Ciaran Kelly.
Subs: Niall Hurley Lynch 0-01 for Kelly 39 mins, Mark McDermott 0-01 for Phillips 45 mins, Daire Dunne for Callaghan 53 mins, Ryan Moore for Meehan 59 mins.
Ref: Niall Colgan
