2025 Allianz Football League Division 3 – Clare 2-12 Kildare 0-16

Clare defeated Kildare by 2-12 to 0-16 in Round 5 of the Allianz Football League Division 3 on Sunday March 2nd at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg.

Keelan Sexton the hero as Clare dramatically beat Kildare in thriller

Report by Eoin Brennan courtesy of the Irish Examiner newspaper

AFL Division 3: Clare 2-12 (2-1-10) Kildare 0-16 (0-2-12)

A first setback in Kildare’s Division 3 promotion charge after an injury-time Keelan Sexton goal ensured a spectacular late turnaround for Clare in the newly renamed Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg.

Having been relegated from Division 2 twelve months ago, Kildare would have cemented an immediate return with a fifth successive victory of the new campaign, only to be halted by a never-say-die Banner.

Clare’s keener eye for goal also kickstarted their afternoon when good work from defensive trio Manus Doherty, Sean McAllister and Cillian Rouine teed up Eoin Cleary to blast to the bottom right corner of the Kildare net at 1-3 to 0-2 by the turn of the opening quarter.

A brace of Keelan Sexton two-pointers only bolstered the Banner’s advantage with the aid of the conditions as both goalkeepers excelled for the remainder. Kildare’s Didier Cordonnier converted a two-point free while home goalkeeper Eamon Tubridy denied the excellent Alex Beirne with his foot to cling to a 1-9 to 0-6 interval lead.

Now with the wind at their backs, the Kildare inevitably responded, chipping away at the deficit with five unanswered third quarter points through Colm Dalton, Callum Bolton, Ben McCormack, Kevin Feely and Alex Beirne to slash the arrears to just the minimum by the three-quarters mark.

Clare goalkeeper Tubridy again came to the rescue to keep out a Feely shot but despite finally getting off the mark with an Eoin Cleary free after a twenty minute barren patch, Clare would be fully reeled in when Beirne provided an inspirational two-point equaliser in the 57th minute at 1-10 to 0-13.

Now with clear momentum, Kildare looked to drive for the line only for. Beirne shot to be tipped over the bar but it did nudge the visitors into the ascendency for the first time in over 50 minutes.

Peter Keane reshuffled his pack and got the desired response when Dermot Coughlan’s first action of 2025 yielded back-to-back points to give the hosts a 1-12 to 0-14 edge entering injury-time.

Remarkably, the lead would change twice more before this thriller was completed as Alex Beirne arrowed over his second two-pointer, only to be outdone by an even more dramatic winner as Keelan Sexton played a one-two with Ikem Ugwueru before nestling his shot into the bottom left corner to blow Division 3 wide open once more.

Scorers for Clare: K Sexton 1-4 (2tp); E Cleary 1-1 (1f); E McMahon 0-3 (2f); D Coughlan 0-2; B McNamara, A Griffin 0-1 each

Scorers for Kildare: A Beirne 0-6 (2tp); C Bolton 0-3; D Cordonnier (1tpf), C Dalton, K Feely 0-2 each; B McCormack 0-1

CLARE: E Tubridy; M Doherty, C Brennan, C Rouine; A Sweeney, F Kelleher, I Ugwueru; S McAllister, B McNamara; C Downes, E McMahon, C Meaney; K Sexton, E Cleary, A Griffin
Subs: C Murray for Griffin (49), E Cahill for McAllister (52), D Walsh for Meaney (55), D Coughlan for Sweeney (62), M McInerney for Downes (71)

KILDARE: D Cordonnier; R Burke, M O’Grady, B Byrne; J McKevitt, J McGrath, D Hyland; C Hagney, C Bolton; C Dalton, A Beirne, B McCormack; N Kelly, K Feely, D Swords
Subs: B McLoughlin for Swords (29), H O’Neill for Hagney (HT), J Hyland for Kelly (45), R Sinkey for McCormack (52), D Flynn for Feely (70)

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)

Brian Flanagan has named the Kildare Senior Football team to play Clare, in Round 5 of the AFL, on Sunday 2nd March in Cusack Park, Ennis at 2pm.

Lets keep the support going for the players and management!

Advanced Ticket sales: https://t.co/qQdxZaPVGh@bradyfamilyham pic.twitter.com/qRhK8ZiEUZ

— Kildare GAA (@KildareGAA) February 28, 2025