Galway are through to the All-Ireland under-21 football final after this 2-10 to 2-05 win over Kildare at O'Connor Park this afternoon.

Kildare's inability to take their scoring chances cost them a place in the All-Ireland final as their wastefulness on front of goal was hard for their supporters to watch. In total they had 19 wides over the course of the hour.

To their credit, Galway kicked some excellent scores and were worthy winners of the match with excellent displays from full back James Shaughnessy, centre forward Sean Moran and corner forward Shane Walsh.

Galway took their chances in the first half and they were well worth their 1-6 to 1-3 lead at half time

The first score of the game went the way of the Tribesmen when Shane Walsh pointed, but Daniel Flynn soon levelled for the Kildare. However, four minutes later Galway rattled the back of the net when wing forward Thomas Flynn shot low past Kildare 'keeper Mark Donnellan.

Both sides were moving the ball well early on, but Kildare were slightly more wasteful on front of goal. Kildare's response was swift when Flynn jinxed his way through the Galway defence and slotted the ball into the corner of the net.

Niall Kelly swung over a point for Kildare in the 17th minute to give them the lead for the first time in the match, 1-2 to 1-1. Galway responded through a Walsh free as the Tribesmen forward's lived on scraps at this stage of the game.

But the Connacht champions were certainly more lethal on front of goal as Damien Comer and Ian Burke made it 1-4 to 1-2 after 23 minutes of play. Kildare's wide tally was growing the minute, which at this stage would have been a concern for manager Kieran McGeeney.

Galway centre forward Sean Moran then opened his account with a point as the lead was now stretched to three points. Fionn Dowling eventually ended Kildare's drought but they had hit ten wides by the 29th minute.

Moran had the final say of the half though as he kicked his second point of the game to send Galway in at half time leading by 1-6 to 1-3.

Kildare made a good start to the second half when Padraig Fogarty opened his account, but a couple of minutes later, the gap was three points once again after Walsh scored his third point of the afternoon after he raced through and blasted over the bar when a goal looked at his mercy.

Walsh was putting in a man of the match performance and he converted a close range free to make it 1-8 to 1-4 by the 36th minute.

Kildare needed a way back into the game and senior star Paul Cribbin broke forward to kick a fine point, but the wide tally was now at 16, which was down to poor shooting and good defending by the Galway defence.

Then a vital score came and it was Galway who got it after Ian Burke made a great run before Moran got on the end to poke the ball home and move the Tribesmen in front by 2-8 to 1-5.

By the 49th minute, Kildare were back in the match when Fogarty fed the ball into Sean Hurley and the midfielder fisted the ball past Donnellan, 2-8 to 2-5, game on. Walsh settled Galway nerves with a pointed free, but we were set for frantic final few minutes.

Kildare needed a score but it was Galway's Cathal Mulryan that was next to hit the target in the 55th minute, which put his side five points clear. The Lilywhites needed a goal, and with two minutes remaining it looked as if they got one when Hurley gather a high ball from Cribbin, but his shot was blocked by full back James Shaughnessy, before goalkeeper Thomas Healy palmed the ball away to safety.

This was to be the last significant action of the match as Galway go through to the final while Kildare were left to count the cost of their wide tally.

Galway - T Healy; M Loughnane, J Shaughnessy, D Cunnane; D Burke, P Varley, G Canavan; T Flynn (1-0), F O Curraoin; C Mulryan (0-1), S Moran (1-1), D Comer (0-1); S Walsh (0-6, 3f), A Varley, I Burke (0-1). Subs: C Rabitte for D Burke, P Ezergailis for D Cunnane, L Silke for G Canavan, E Commins for D Comer.

Kildare - M Donnellan; S Higgins, D Hyland, M Konstantin; P Cribbin (0-1), F Conway, J Byrne; T Moolick, S Hurley (1-0); D Flynn (1-1), L McGovern, F Dowling (0-1); P Brophy, P Fogarty (0-1), N Kelly (0-1). Subs: H Mahon for Fogarty, G Farrell for Dowling, T Gibbons for McGovern.

Referee - B Cassidy. Tweet

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