Armagh U17s are beaten narrowly by Kildare in the All-Ireland B Semi-final

Armagh U17s were beaten in the All-Ireland B Semi-final this afternoon, losing out by two points against Kildare.

The Leinster side claimed the first two points through Rory Thompson and Hugh Martin, but on five minutes Armagh found the net when Keelan McEntee played a one-two with Harry Fearon and upon receiving the ball back, he drilled it into the roof of the Kildare net.

Ronan Martin pointed immediately after for Armagh, but Kildare rattled off four straight points via Pauric Carty, a Thompson free and a Charlie Doran two-pointer.

Martin knocked over a free for Armagh to stem the tide, before Kildare’s Calum Keaveny hit a superb point from just inside the two-point arc.

Daithi O’Callaghan swung over from narrow angle after Thomas Olarte’s shot was blocked, but Kildare led 0-8 to 1-3 at the break after Carty pointed from a ‘45.

The Lilywhites were first on the board in the second half via a Sean Gleeson point, but Armagh’s Odhran Reel responded from a free.

However, Kildare hit back through a Hugh Martin point before they moved six clear when Keavey’s shot dropped short but Nathan Dunne kept the chance alive. His initial shot was saved by Padraig Finn, but he smashed the rebound into the bottom corner of the net.

The Leinster side were well on top at this stage, and a tap over free from Thompson and an Ollie Deller score had Armagh trailing by eight points with less than 20 minutes to play.

But the Orchard lads kept battling and Reel gave them a huge shot in the arm by converting a two-point free, then a monster two-pointer from play moments later, from 50 metres out.

Harry Fearon had half a goal chance for Armagh, but he put too much power on his effort and fired over to cut the gap down to three.

Kildare responded well with points from Keaveny and Conor McBrien, but Armagh weren’t going down without a fight, and a two-pointer from Tiarnan O’Neill and a good score from O’Callaghan out on the right wing meant that it was game on with four minutes to play.

Kildare’s Aidan Maddock pointed in reply, but a Ryan Dynes score immediately afterwards kept the game on a knife edge heading into stoppage time.

But Armagh couldn’t force extra-time or a winner, as Reel saw two frees go wide and Olarte had a goal chance saved by the Kildare ‘keeper, and the Lilywhites held on to secure the win.

MATCH STATS

Kildare scorers: Rory Thompson (0-3, 2f), Nathan Dunne (1-0), Charlie Doran (0-2, 1tp), Hugh Martin (0-2), Pauric Carty (0-2, 1’45), Calum Keaveny (0-2), Sean Gleeson (0-1), Ollie Deller (0-1), Conor McBrien (0-1), Aidan Maddock (0-1).

Armagh scorers: Odhran Reel (0-5, 1f, 1tpf, 1tp), Keelan McEntee (1-0), Ronan Martin (0-2, 1f), Tiarnan O’Neill (0-2, 1tp),Daithi O’Callaghan (0-2), Harry Fearon (0-1), Ryan Dynes (0-1).