A stunning 2-7 haul from Wayne Fitzpatrick - who started the game with a broken finger - inspired Kildare to a Leinster Vocational Schools SF final victory over Dublin at Newbridge.

Kildare 2-11
Dublin 2-8

Having lived in the shadow of Meath in this competition over the past five years, the local rivals were determined to get their hands on silverware and it was Fitzpatrick who proved the difference between the sides. Few would have bet against a Dublin victory after Shane Hickey's goal helped them to a 1-4 to 0-1 lead by the 21st minute, but they failed to score again until 10 minutes from the end as the Lilywhites took control.

Fitzpatrick pounced for his first goal in the 23rd minute and he added another midway through the second half as Kildare stormed into a nine-point lead. An Adam Rodgers penalty for Dublin two minutes from the end was followed by three quick points, but the home side held on to set up an All-Ireland semi-final date with Mayo on Saturday, February 18.

Scorers - Kildare: W Fitzpatrick 2-7 (5f), N Flynn 0-3 (1f), R Casey 0-1. Dublin: A Rodgers 1-7 (1-0 pen, 4fs), S Hickey 1-0, G Hannigan 0-1.

Kildare - D Byrne; H Flaherty, T O'Connell, E Farrelly; C O'Donoghue, B Nolan, E Dempsey; A Bannon-Whelan, G Savage; K McNally, W Fitzpatrick, N Flynn; C Jennings, E O'Keefe, R Casey. Subs: J Kennedy for Flaherty (16), S Mackey for O'Keefe (53), L McCabe for Casey (56), W Freeman for Jennings (56).

Dublin - Darren Brennan; A Lenihan, G Hannigan, D Allen; E McLoughlin, T Quinn, C Neville; T O'Laitimh, Dean Brennan; C Flynn, T Devlin, B Mallon; A Rodgers, C McLoughlin, S Hickey. Subs: C O'Gara for C McLoughlin (h-t), S Jones for Flynn (45), J Dwyer for E McLoughlin (47), N Kelly for Dean Brennan (57).

Ref - J Curley (Meath). Tweet

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