Kildare 1-15
Dublin 0-10

Kildare claimed the inaugural U20 football championship crown this tonight after a resounding victory over Dublin in Tullamore.

Tony Arcbold's 61st minute penalty put a seal on the title for the Lilywhites after they'd sizzled in the run up to half-time to take control of this decider and eventually leave the Dubs in their dust.

It was the capital lads that led by 0-5 to 0-3 after 23 minutes thanks to points from James Doran and Sean Bugler but their opponents began to find their rhythm soon afterwards and then caught firing, rattling off the next seven points without response.

The instrumental Jimmy Hyland (3), Archbold, Padraig Nash (2) and Brian McLoughlin were the players to raise the white flags and convert Kildare's majority share of possession during the profitable spell, which sent them in at the break with a 0-10 to 0-5 lead.

Tom Keane, scorer of 0-4, fired the Dubs opening points of the second-half to bring the margin back to four but their neighbours didn't take long in making it a double scores (0-14 to 0-7) contest again, as Nash and Hyland (2) continues to find their range.

Hyland kicked his eighth and final point with five minutes to go as Kildare could almost taste a victory which was confirmed once Archbold hit buried in the game's only goal from the spot in the added minutes.

Kildare - A O'Neill; M Dempsey, M Barrett, J Bambrick; DJ Earley, J Gibbons, R O'Giollain; A Masterson, D Marnell; D Ryan, P Nash (0-3), T Archbold (1-1, 1-0pen); J Hyland (0-8, 2f), B McLoughlin (0-1), P Woodgate (0-1). Subs: S O'Sullivan (0-1) for P Nash, C Costigan for D Marnell, S Doran for P Woodgate, N Murphy for B McLoughlin, J Barrett for DJ Earley, M Betts Symonds for N Murphy (BC).

Dublin - D O'Hanlon; N Nolan, N Doran, C Smith; K Kennedy, N Matthews, E O'Dea; D Ryan (0-1), C Howley; T Keane (0-4, 1f), J Madden, R McGarry (0-1); D O'Brien, J Doran (0-1), S Bugler (0-3). Subs: K Lynch Bissett for C Howley, J Holland for D O'Brien, S King for R McGarry, E Fitzpatrick for D Ryan, D Brennan for N Doran.

Referee - A Nolan.

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