26 June 2010
Ten points from sharp shooter Paddy Cunningham helped Antrim to a thrilling draw with Kildare in Saturday evening’s All Ireland Football qualifier in Newbridge.
Level at the end of normal time, and again at the end of twenty minutes extra time the two sides could not be separated and will meet again next weekend at Casement Park.
Antrim had chances to win the game late in normal time and in the dying seconds of extra-time but in truth the home side could have sealed the match, had it not been for a series of bad wides, fifteen in all.
Saturday's occasion started in emotional fashion with a minute's applause being held in memory of former Kildare manager Dermot Earley Snr, who died after a long illness earlier this week.
With Early’s son Dermot jnr. lining out for Kildare, just a few hours after his father’s funeral, it was an emotion charged event, and the home fans turned out in great numbers to show their support.
Antrim started well, and despite playing into the fresh breeze they went ahead with two Cunningham points from frees, but Kildare hit back with four unanswered scores.
Tony Scullion, who was superb at right-half back for Antrim, got his team going again with a well taken point but Kildare were getting on top and they opened up a three point lead to go 0-8 to 0-5 clear.
Antrim responded well before the break and a fine point from corner-back Kevin O'Boyle and one from Kevin McGourty cut the half-time deficit to a single point.
After a half-time break which lasted all of twenty-eight minutes Kildare appeared to be gaining control and dominance in the midfield area in particular saw them pull 0-11 to 0-8 ahead.
They could have went further clear had it not been for some dreadful finishing and to their credit Antrim took advantage and another Cunningham point and a brilliant long-range point from Kevin McGourty in the closing seconds of normal time brought the sides level at the end of normal time.
Kildare added points from Ronan Sweeney and Eoghan O'Flaherty to pull two ahead in the first period of extra-time, but Cunningham again found a reply as he split the uprights to cut the lead to a single point at the end of that first extra time period.
Kildare substitute Thomas O'Connor could, and probably should, have sealed the match early in the second period of extra-time but shot wide of an open goal and Cunningham's 10th point squared matters once again and set up a replay next weekend.
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