Tailteann Cup heartbreak as Kildare inch beyond Limerick

Limerick 2-19
Kildare 1-24

By Tom Clancy

There was drama aplenty as Limerick saw their Tailteann Cup dreams go right to the wire, but a late Rory O’Brien goal chance was deflected over the ball, instead of under, and with it Kildare were crowned champions.

It was a game that Limerick led narrowly at times, but they also trailed by seven points at one stage. Fighting back to lead, a Killian Ryan goal looking to set them up for a great finish, only for Kildare to find the scores to win it.

Four down late on, James Naughton’s late free set up a tense last minute, with the first goal effort saved by Cian Burke before O’Brien’s effort met a Kildare hand and flew over for a point.

This will not define the Treaty season, where they’ve won Division Four, as well as winning five games in a row in this competition.

Kildare opened their scoring inside two minutes when Alex Beirne pointed, but Tony McCarthy settled Limerick with an immediate response, curling nicely into the Hill.

Callum Bolton curled over the afternoons first two pointer before a spell of dominance from the Treaty.

Emmet Rigter finishing off a nice passing move from 20 meters before Cillian Fahy’s goal, after Rigter’s initial effort was saved, put Limerick into their first lead after six minutes. Tommie Childs swung over a fine effort and all seemed well with the start.

However, as has been the case so often this year, momentum can swing in Gaelic Football. 1-7 on the trot from the Leinster side gave this game a totally different feel. Darragh Kirwan with a two pointer and another from play got the ball rolling before captain Kevin Feely helped them regain the lead.

Alex Beirne spotted a gap in the Limerick defence and drilled a low effort, which perhaps Josh Ryan was unsighted for, into the bottom right corner. Daniel Flynn added to the misery for Lee’s men.

Another from Kirwan, from outside the arc, gave Limerick a seven point deficit. But as is their way, Limerick didn’t throw in the towel.

Rigter, Danny Neville and a Naughton free gave them a greater presence in the Kildare half, before Josh Ryan pointed a 45, after a fine save from Cian Burke denied Cillian Fahy.

Peter Nash (free and from play) scored two late points but Beirne, Dalyon and Ryan ensured a 1-13 to 1-9 advantage for the hotly fancied Lillywhites at half-time.

Ryan hasn’t been known for his scoring in this side but when Croke Park opened up in front of him, the Mungret St. Paul’s man carried for a distance before dispatching to the net from about 13 meters out. It gave Limerick a 2-15 to 1-16 advantage entering the final 23 minutes of action.

However, sub Brian McLoughlin’s two-pointer seemed to reset Kildare and despite a Cillian Fahy score, Limerick struggled for a spell. Kirwan, Tommy Gill, Kevin Felly and Kirwan again kept them moving.

McLoughlin, who made a huge impact in the semi-final, knocked over another and Colm Dalton then put them four ahead.

James Naughton’s free, before the late drama was as close as Limerick got.. Division Three football in 2026 is now the next target for the group, with club football starting next Thursday.


Scorers for Limerick: Cillian Fahy 1-1; Killian Ryan 1-1; Tony McCarthy 0-3; Peter Nash 0-3  (0-1 free); Josh Ryan 0-3 (1 45, 1 tp free); Emmet Rigter 0-2; James Naughton 0-2 (2 frees); Tommie Childs 0-1; Iain Corbett 0-1 Danny Neville 0-1; Rory O’Brien 0-1.

Scorers for Kildare: Darragh Kirwan 0-8 (2 2pts); Alex Beirne 1-2; Ryan Sinkey 0-3; Brian McLoughlin 0-3 (1tp); Callum Bolton 0-2; Colm Dalton 0-2; Kevin Feely 0-2 (1 mark); Tommy Gill 0-1; Daniel Flynn 0-1.

Limerick: Josh Ryan (Oola); Jason Hassett (Mungret St Paul’s), Darren O’Doherty (Newcastle West), Mark McCarthy (Fr Casey’s); Killian Ryan (Mungret St Paul’s), Iain Corbett (Newcastle West), Tony McCarthy (Kildimo-Pallaskenry); Tommie Childs (Galtee Gaels), Darragh O’Hagan (Mungret St Paul’s), Paul Maher (Adare), Emmet Rigter (Newcastle West), Cillian Fahy (Dromcollogher-Broadford, Captain), Danny Neville (Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan); Emmet Rigter (Newcastle West), James Naughton (St Senan’s), Peter Nash (Kildimo-Pallaskenry). 

Subs: Barry Colaman (Rathkeale) for T Childs (16 – 19); Darragh Murray (Monaleen) for O’Hagan (43); Barry Coleman for Maher (47); Bob Childs (Galtee Gaels) for Rigter (55); Tadhg Ó Siochrú for Corbett (61); Rory O’Brien (Fr Casey’s) for T Childs (66);

Kildare: Cian Burke; Harry O’Neill, Ryan Burke, Brian Byrne; Tommy Gill, David Hyland, James McGrath; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Colm Dalton, Alex Beirne, Callum Bolton; Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan, Daniel Flynn.

Subs: Jack McKevitt for McGrath, Brian McLoughlin for Gibbons (both 43); Eoin Cully for D Flynn (47); Mick O’Grady for R Burke (66).

Referee: Brendan Devenney (Mayo).