Kildare crowned Joe McDonagh Cup champions with victory over Laois
Kildare 2-26
Laois 1-19
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
KILDARE HAVE capped a remarkable 12 months of hurling success with a landmark Joe McDonagh Cup title win, securing their place in the Leinster SHC for the first time since 2004.
Brian Dowling's side only won the Christy Ring Cup 12 months ago and, initially at least, would have been happy to simply retain their Joe McDonagh Cup status this term.
They even lost their opening group game to Kerry, their ninth defeat from nine games in the competition, but have bounced back in remarkable fashion since then to claim a historic win.
Tied at half-time in their first-ever McDonagh Cup final, and fortunate to be level at that stage given the number of chances Laois wasted, Kildare cut loose after the break to beat Laois comfortably for the second time in the competition.
Second-half goals from Jack Sheridan and substitute Jack Travers proved crucial, while free-taker David Qualter finished with 13 points on a famous day for the county.
But it was a powerful collective performance with centre-back Cian Boran standing out in a strong defence.
Kildare, who have already secured Division 1B hurling for 2026, will get an immediate chance to test themselves at the higher level next weekend when they play Dublin in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Laois have at least another week to run in their campaign too, with Dublin set to visit Portlaoise in the MacCarthy Cup.
Just like the Dublin footballers a week earlier on the same turf, Laois reflected on a first half of squandered chances, which cost them dearly in the end.
The half-time stats made for painful reading for them: 11 wides, five point attempts that dropped short and a shot at goal that was saved.
Kildare were more efficient when the ball was at the opposite Davin End and started brighter, showing no signs of anticipated nerves.
It was their first final at the grade, and they were bidding to return to Leinster championship hurling for the first time since losing to Westmeath 21 years ago.
But they were calm and composed and deserved their early 0-4 to 0-2 lead with Sheridan, James Burke and Qualter picking off three terrific points from play.
They showed their athleticism in the 18th minute when they snuffed out a Laois goal chance and worked a speedy move up the pitch that ended with a free and a handy Qualter tap over.
Free-taker Qualter finished the half with seven points to his credit and was influential in open play too.
Kildare retained their two-point lead approaching the half-hour mark when they were 0-9 to 0-7 ahead.
But with the Laois wides tally into double figures at that stage, the scoreline flattered the Lilywhites.
Three Laois points in a row from James Keyes and free-taker Tomas Keyes amounted to a strong finish to the half from them, levelling it up at 0-11 apiece at the break.
And Laois held onto that momentum with their goal coming just seconds after the restart.
Paddy Purcell raced clear with the ball from the throw-in, and though his eventual shot off the turf was saved, Ben Conroy came sliding in and bundled it to the net.
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Laois were desperate to kick on from there and to impose themselves on the game, but couldn't.
Instead, it was Kildare that reeled off two separate bursts of three points, taking a three-point lead at the hour mark and then killing off Laois with the two goals.
Travers grabbed his in the 61st minute, following up on the rebound after Sheridan's initial shot was blocked.
Five minutes later, Sheridan netted himself, shrugging off a jersey pull and darting beyond Ryan Mullaney to get a low shot away that hit the net.
Kildare sub Muiris Curtin pointed in the 68th minute and punched the air in delight, realising that the job was done at that stage.
Kildare scorers: David Qualter 0-13 (0-11f, 0-1 65), Jack Sheridan 1-4, Jack Travers 1-1, Gerry Keegan 0-3, James Burke 0-2, Simon Leacy 0-1, Paul Dolan 0-1, Muiris Curtin 0-1.
Laois scorers: Tomas Keyes 0-6 (0-5f), Ben Conroy 1-2, Padraig Delaney 0-2 (0-2f), James Keyes 0-2, Paddy Purcell 0-2, PJ Scully 0-2 (0-1f), Lee Cleere 0-1, Fiachra C Fennell 0-1, James Duggan 0-1.
KILDARE
1. Paddy McKenna (Clane)
2. Richy Hogan (Naas)
3. Rian Boran (Naas – Captain)
5. Daniel O'Meara (Maynooth)
7. Paul Dolan (Eire Og Corra Choill)
6. Cian Boran (Naas)
4. Simon Leacy (Naas)
8. Daire Guerin (Naas)
10. Cathal McCabe (Maynooth)
14. Cathal Dowling (Naas)
11. Jack Sheridan (Naas)
12. David Qualter (Maynooth)
13. Darragh Melville (Leixlip)
9. James Burke (Naas)
15. Gerry Keegan (Celbridge)
SUBS
17. Jack Travers (Leixlip) for Dowling (59)
21. Muiris Curtin (Moorefield) for McCabe (64)
20. Conn Kehoe (Moorefield) for Melville (69)
19. Liam O'Reilly (Naas) for Dolan (69)
22. Oisin Lynam (Celbridge) for Keegan (72)
LAOIS
1. Cathal Dunne (Clough Ballacolla)
8. Fiachra C Fennell (Rosenallis)
19. Jordan Walshe (Clough Ballacolla)
2. Cody Comerford (The Harps)
6. Padraig Delaney (The Harps)
3. Lee Cleere (Clough Ballacolla)
4. Diarmaid Conway (Clough Ballacolla)
10. Aidan Corby (Clough Ballacolla)
21. James Keyes (Coillte Seanchua)
12. Paddy Purcell (Rathdowney Errill)
11. Tomas Keyes (Camross)
9. David Dooley (Rosenallis – Captain)
13. Mark Dowling (Camross)
14. Jer Quinlan (Borris-Kilcotton)
15. Ben Conroy (Sliabh Bladhma)
SUBS
23. Aaron Dunphy (Borris-Kilcotton) for Tomas Keyes (54)
17. Padraic Dunne (The Harps) for Comerford (60)
24. James Duggan (The Harps) for Dowling (62)
19. Ryan Mullaney (Castletown) for Walshe (64)
25. PJ Scully (Borris-Kilcotton) for Conroy (66)
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
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