Celbridge are back in the Kildare SHC winners’ enclosure following a two-year absence after dethroning Ardclough in St Conleth’s Park today.

They finished with four points to spare (2-16 to 1-15) over the holders thanks to goals either side of half-time from Fergal Conway and Tom Fitzgerald.

Conway’s first-half strike cancelled out an early goal by Ardclough’s Paul Fitzgerald.

Nevertheless, the reigning champions led by 1-7 to 1-5 at the change of ends and added two further points at the start of the second-half.

Celbridge replied with four unanswered points to regain parity.

They then took over in pole position thanks to Fitzgerald’s green flag and went on to claim their seventh title since 2005.

Meanwhile, in the curtain raiser, Kilcock defeated Naas by 0-11 to 1-5 to capture the JHC title.

Celbridge - N Lanigan; P Curtin, F O'Muineachain, S O'Sullivan; K Murphy (0-1), N O'Muineachain, M O'Donovan; S O'Flynn, B White (0-3f); S White (0-2f), T Fitzgerald (1-3), F Conway (1-1); L Quinn (0-2), M Moloney (0-3), T Finnerty (0-1). Sub: F O'Reilly for S White.

Ardclough - R O'Malley; S Buggy, D Collins, R Maguire; A Kelly, E Duane, R Hoban; N Delahunt (0-1), P Ryan (0-2); T Spain (0-4), J Reeves, L Hanley; M Lynam, M Fitzgerald (0-7, 5f, 2'65), P Fitzgerald (1-1). Subs: C Buggy for J Reeves, S Whelan for A Kelly, R Spain for M Lynam, M Stapleton for E Duane.

Referee - N Colgan.

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