DCU 3-7 Kildare 1-12:A 72nd minute Philip McMahon goal stole the Bord na Mona O'Byrne Cup title from Kildare's grasp at a wet O'Moore Park, Portlaoise last night.
The Lilywhites led by 10 points following an Eamonn Callaghan goal with 25 minutes remaining, but failed to add to their tally as DCU threw huge pressure at the Kildare defence.
Dublin's Dean Rock bagged 1-3 for the students, who fielded just nine starters from the side which secured a Sigerson Cup semi-final berth, thanks to victory over DIT midweek.
A brace of early points from Rock and a Cathal Cregg score saw DCU propel to a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes, but the students were firmly on the back-foot for the remainder of the first half with Caoimhin McDonnell, Eamonn Callaghan, Alan Smith, Ken Donnelly, Des Lawlor and Seamus Hanafin on target as Kildare claimed a 0-10 to 0-4 interval lead.
Callaghan pushed Tony Kelly’s side 1-12 to 0-5 ahead on the restart, but DCU were hungrier with a brace of Dean Rock goals, coupled with points from Donegal’s Anton McFadden and Dublin’s Paul Flynn cutting the gap to two points, with 10 minutes remaining until McMahon fired an injury-time winner.
DCU:R Hennelly (0-1, 1 '45); L Bree, P McMahon (1-0), E Culligan; J McCarthy, J Cooper, C Cafferky; K Dooney, P Flynn (0-1); D Keenan, F O'Shea, C Cregg (0-1); J Brady, D Rock (2-3, 2f), A McFadden (0-1). Subs: E O'Gara for Dooney (HT); N Collins for McCarthy (46); C Kehoe for O'Gara (50); D Gavin for Cregg (57); G Gibson for Keenan (65); B Noone for Lawlor (72).
KILDARE:R Eyres; S Bergin (0-1), H McGrillen (0-1), D Barker; K Murnaghan, M Foley, K Ennis; C Feeney, P Dunne; C McDonnell (0-3), E Callaghan (1-1), T McCann; A Smith (0-1, 1f), K Donnelly (0-1), D Lawlor (0-2). Subs: S Hanafin (0-2, 1 '45) for McCann (33); J Kavanagh for McDonnell (57); A Dunne for Donnelly (68).
REFEREE:Sean Carroll (Westmeath)