Kildare keep Leinster U20 FC hopes alive with big win over Wexford

The opening ten minutes aside, at the end of which Kildare led 0-3 to 0-2, their points coming through Oisin O'Sullivan, Niall Dolan and Adam Fanning, with Cian Huges and Morgan Ellis on the scoresheet for the home side, the eventual winners went on to assume total control.

With Ryan Sinkey, Dolan and Shane Farrell kicking some nice points, but for erratic finishing, a total of eight first half wides to their opponents one, their half-time lead of 0-9 to 0-3 would have been far greater.

On the resumption, Kildare maintained their dominance adding early second half points through Colm Dalton, Niall Dolan, Ryan Sinkey, and two from Farrell frees, to extend into a 0-14 to 0-3 lead.

Wexford had to wait until the forty-seventh minute for their opening second half score a Rian Fitzpatrick pointed free, and while they went on to kick a further three unanswered points through Liam Doyle, sub Bill Peare and a Fitzpatrick free, it was Kildare who finished with points from Fionn Cooke and Farrell, free, to run out the most comfortable of winners, keeping their championship hopes very much alive.

Kildare: S Farrell (4f) 0-5; R Sinkey (2f) 0-4; N Dolan 0-3; O O'Sullivan, C Dalton, A Fanning, F Cooke 0-1 each. Wexford: R Fitzpatrick 0-3 frees; L Doyle, C Hughes, M Ellis, A Mahoney (f),  B Peare, 0-1 each.

Wexford: R Tubritt; D Furlong, B Cushe, C Kelly; J Higgins, B Martin, R Martin; R Fitzpatrick, L Doyle; C Hughes, A Harris, M Ellis; B Tobin, A Mahoney, D Cooke Leonard. Subs: B Peare for Tobin (40); D Roche for B Martin (45), C Jones for Furlong (50), M McGonigle for Ellis (50), S Hughes for Cooke Leonard (53).

Kildare: E Sheehan; H O'Neill, R Burke, T Ryan; F O'Giollain, J McGrath, J McKevitt; D Duerin, S Farrell; C Dalton, N Dolan, C Flanagan; A Fanning, R Sinkey, O O'Sullivan. Subs: E Cully for Flanagan (42), K Cummins for O'Giollain (46), J Harris for McKevitt (50), F Cooke for Fanning (53).

Referee: S Fagan (Wicklow).