Leinster SFC/Kildare 1-17 Wicklow 2-12: Either late last night or early this morning Wicklow will have realised just how close they came. Two options are now on the table. They can agonise over the result until the qualifiers come around, when they will be punished, or they can work off the positives of a refreshing if error-ridden display.
Whichever path Wicklow take, they left this one behind them and it is very difficult to see another golden opportunity materialising this summer. Having squandered a six-point lead 10 minutes into the second half, they valiantly regained parity only to see Kildare finally shake them off in the final dash for home. A replay would have been deserving of their efforts.
The turning point came immediately after Wicklow's Thomas Harney put daylight between the sides with the second goal. Kildare raced down field with Eamon Callaghan dropping a bomb into the square.
Goalkeeper Robert Hollingsworth couldn't take the ball cleanly and before it bounced Tadhg Fennin punched to the net.
As Brendan O'hAnnaidh fervently claimed a square ball from referee Francis Flynn, Pádraig Nolan launched Dermot Earley from the bench. Kildare rattled off five more scores without reply as Wicklow struggled for air in the ultra-tense arena that is Croke Park on championship Sunday.
Earley and Karl Ennis warmed the bench early on as both lacked match fitness, the former because he has returned from UN duty in Bosnia recently. He was returning from peacekeeping duties to a war zone.
The inches between winning and losing came down to experience as many Wicklow players were gracing this stage for the first time. Chances they would normally take with ease refused to go over as 10 wides in the first half alone damaged the cause.
Wayne O'Gorman had a lively game at full forward, but two missed goal chances in either half proved costly by the finish, although one was down to Enda Murphy's tremendous reflexes in the Kildare goal.
Paul Earls, an excellent prospect, cannot be faulted for the persistent misfiring as 1-4 from play, coupled with two frees, kept his side alive.
Initially, cold feet looked set to see Wicklow follow Louth meekly into the qualifiers as Willie Heffernan's fielding strangled midfield and the wide count began to rack up. At least O'Gorman, Earls and Leighton Glynn exposed an understrength Kildare rearguard.
Kildare began to find some rhythm with John Doyle at the heart of most good phases, but further scores from Earls, O'Gorman and Eamon Callaghan ensured it was even at the break.
Twenty seconds into the second half Earls scored a goal that in many ways summed up the Wicklow approach in front of goal. Coming in diagonally, acres of space opened up for the corner forward, but he over-carried and was forced to pass to the well-guarded O'Gorman. From two yards out, he lashed it into a Kildare body. It deflected back to Earls who finally found the net.
Belief began to ripple through the sparse Wicklow crowd as Earls and Harney added two more points.
Then came a goal of beauty. The elusive Glynn danced past Glen Ryan, fed O'hAnnaidh, who quickly transferred to Harney whose low drive went in off the post to leave it 2-9 to 0-9. Nolan admitted afterwards Kildare began to realise just how much trouble they were in.
Karl Ennis had already been sprung from the bench and after Fennin's goal Earley also arrived. While neither replacements excelled beyond the call of duty, a pass here and a big hit there, their presence visibly lifted the Lilywhites' cause. One particular Earley drive through the middle when he combined with Callaghan springs to mind. This also reflected on the Wicklow psyche as fits of indiscipline, like Harney picking up a yellow card for a needless trip, became evident.
Doyle brought the white flag up again and Ennis followed up with a sublime effort to eventually bring it level.
Between Fenin and Doyle kicking huge scores, O'Gorman was again guilty of missing the target from close range. Earls was the only Wicklow contributor thereafter, but his last three points were not enough to ensure anything other than a valiant defeat.
His final score two minutes from time was outstanding and it looked like a draw would be a fair outcome, but Ronan Sweeney swept down field to calmly slot a point before Doyle ensured Wicklow needed a goal to win. They came one more time but the Kildare defence had too many cool heads by this stage.
The performance will earn Wicklow respect across Leinster. A valuable attribute if they are to rise from the lower levels, but of little consolation to Hugh Kenny's men yesterday.
KILDARE: 1 E Murphy; 2 A Rainbow, 3 D Hendy, 4 P Mullarkey; 5 M Foley (0-1), 6 G Ryan, 7 P Mullarkey; 8 K Brennan (0-1), 9 W Heffernan; 10 E Callaghan (0-3), 11 P O'Neill, 12 R Sweeney (0-1); 13 T Fenin (1-3, 1 free), 14 S McKenzie Smith, 15 J Doyle (0-7, 3 frees). Subs: 17 M Hogarty for P O'Neill (half-time), 30 K Ennis (0-1) for D Hendy (40 mins), 20 D Early for K Brennan (46 mins), 21 R Glavin for S McKenzie Smith (51 mins).
WICKLOW: 1 R Hollingsworth; 2 C Hyland, 3 B Daly, 4 T Burke; 5 K Manning, 6 D O'hAnnaidh, 7 B O'hAnnaidh; 8 D Dillon (0-1), 9 J Stafford; 10 D Smullen, 11 L Glynn (0-1), 12 T Harney (1-1); 13 P Earls (1-6, 2f), 14 W O'Gorman (0-2), A Ellis (0-1). Subs: 20 G Duffy for K Manning (25 mins), 19 JP Davis for T Hardy (53 mins), 18 D O'Sullivan for A Ellis (61 mins), 17 J Daniels for JP Davis (66 mins).
Referee: F Flynn (Leitrim).
