Kildare advanced to the last four of the Leinster U20 football championship thanks to a 1-20 to 2-12 win over Westmeath in Mullingar yesterday (Thursday) evening.

With the original fixture between these two sides postponed at half-time due to heavy rain and strong winds in Kinnegad, where Kildare had been leading by three points, the sides met again at TEG Cusack Park where the visitors made a flying start.

Early two-pointers from Ronan Kelly and Jimmy Lynch were backed up by a Kelly goal in the eighth minute as the Lilywhites went on to run up a 1-10 to 0-0 lead.

Kealan Connell sent over Westmeath’s first point in the 17th minute and Cillian Rochford would net them a sorely needed goal as the scoreboard read 1-13 to 1-4 at half-time.

Will Scahill landed a two-pointer from a free for the Lake County early on in the resumption and repeated the trick four minutes later, cutting the difference to six before Kelly sent over another Kildare point.

Donnacha Maguire’s goal midway through the second-half made it 1-15 to 2-8, but Lynch (2, 1 free) and Kelly steadied Kildare’s ship with points ahead of Harry Redmond and Kelly (2) rounding off their tally late on.

The result means that Niall Cronin’s side will face Meath in the Leinster U20FC semi-finals at a Kildare venue next Wednesday evening.

Dalata Hotel Leinster U20 Football Championship Quarter Final

Full Time
Kildare 1.20
Westmeath 2.12

Well done to the team and management!

Kildare now progress to the Semi-Final vs. Meath on Wednesday 29th April (Kildare Venue). pic.twitter.com/MtXEti2A4U

— Kildare GAA (@KildareGAA) April 23, 2026

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