WELCOME to the Liam Miley Show.

In the language of the tabloids the Leinster Leader Cup final could have been billed as a battle between the Young Turks and the Old Fogeys.

A recall to the county team is probably not on the cards but, at two months short of this 40th birthday, Liam Miley showed the way for St. Laurence’s to win their first ever senior title.

And he wasn’t alone. Midfielders Sean Ryan and Mick Fogarty also rolled back the years to put in polished performances for the Ballitore-Narraghmore team to claim a success which was as hard won as it was merited.

Moorefield never managed to take the lead and if their supporters were expecting a comfortable win from the all-singing all-dancing youthful Moorefield combination they were in for a shock.

It would, however, be a little rash to suggest that the county champions are in terminal decline. In the first place they strenuously objected to this game taking place on Friday night because they have several players away at college. Instead it took place at noon on Saturday - a hasty rearrangement which did not suit most people.

Apart from this many of the Moorefield players have been playing an awful lot of football since their championship campaign began last year and - even though they are by and large a young team - it takes it toll.

They recovered after St. Laurence’s made a blistering start with a goal and a point but the Larries determination was greater and defensively they were much tighter than Moorefield.

In the back of most observers minds was the thought that Miley would pull something out of the top drawer for this game. Moorefield must have reckoned on this too but they were powerless to do much about it as he finished the game with a goal and three points from play.

Over the hour three Moorefield players saw duty on him with only mediocre levels of success.

His first score was a goal and though it wasn’t a thing of beauty it put Moorefield under pressure and kept them there. The corner forward got possession close to the target and before kicking the ball past Padraig Canavan he might have over carried but then again he was being restrained at the same time by Canavan. Four minutes later, in the 6th, he pointed from play.

Moorefield took over for the next few minutes and scored four times to level the game midway through the half but Miley restored the lead in the 19th minute.

St. Laurence’s led by 1-5 to 0-4 at half time after a Dom Grufferty broke Miley’s scoring monopoly in the 21st with a point.

St. Laurence’s took up where they left off at the start of the second half. Their first three scores came from frees and a Dermot O’Toole point gave them a 1-9 to 0-4 advantage.

Things could only get better for Mick Condon’s team but it took them twenty minutes to get a couple of points.

The second came from Kevin O’Neill and was one of the best. He rose highest to catch, held off a couple of St. Laurence’s defenders and kicked over the point.

Moorefield were getting a bit closer and had made a few changes including the moving of O’Neill from centre field to the attack but this was followed by overusing the strategy of bombarding the Larries goalmouth with high balls.

Larries did not allow Moorefield to find any kind of rhythm. Thomas Doyle pointed to keep them at arm’s length.

If the Moorefield selectors, some of whom were getting a bit tetchy on the sideline, took any consolation it was in the way that they tried had to rescue what looked like a lost cause.

Ronan Sweeney, who had a good second half and finished the game with a suspected broken nose as a result of an accidental collision, scored twice and there were other scores from Pa Behan and Kenny Duane.

With a couple of minutes left Moorefield had got to within a goal of St. Laurence’s. It didn’t come but the fact that they got that close was commendable.

Instead Thomas Doyle collected a free from Aaron Flood and kicked the ball past Canavan, whose view of the shot appeared to be blocked by players in front of him.

Martin Miley added the closing point as St. Laurence’s made their own little piece of history.

Apart from Liam Miley, Sean Ryan and Mick Fogarty there were good displays from Martin Miley, Pat Keatley and Thomas Doyle.

For Moorefield Sos Dowling did little wrong at full back and others to figure were Kenny Duane, Pa Behan, Ronan Sweeney and Michael Ryan.

St. Laurence’s Tony McMullan, Mark Byrne, Pat Keatley, Stuart Byrne, Ivan Keatley, Dom Grufferty (0-1), Aaron Flood, Sean Ryan, Mick Fogarty, Dermot O’Toole (0-1), Martin Miley (0-2), David Kelly, Liam Miley (1-5, 0-2 frees), Declan Gallagher (0-1) and Thomas Doyle (1-1).

Moorefield: Padraig Canavan, Jim Bob Murphy, Sos Dowling, Seamus Murray, Noel Buckley, Les Hogan, Kenny Duane (0-1), Ronan Sweeney (0-4, 3 frees), Kevin O’Neill (0-1), Patrick Murray (0-2, both frees), Robbie Delaney, Michael Ryan, Bernard Behan, Cian O’Neill and Pa Behan (0-2). Subs; Padraig O’Flynn for Jim Bob Murphy 27th, Phil Woulfe for Bernard Behan 31st, Sean White for Robbie Delaney 39th and Ian smith for Cian O’Neill 57th.

Referee: Tommy O’Rourke.

Moorefield 0-17 - Celbridge 1-7

AFTER a hard fought competitive game Moorefield advanced to the final Of the U-21 'A' F.C. where they meet Maynooth College.

Moorefield started well and after missing a few early chances completely dominated the game with points by Robbie Delaney (0-4) Patrick Murray (0-4) and Ronan Sweeney (0-2) and Brian McGrogan.

Their backs and midfield were also on top and a Mark Hudson point was they only score Celbridge had to show for the first half, leaving the score 0-11 to 0-1 at the interval.

On the restart Celbridge were a different team. A point by Mark Hudson and then a goal from a penalty by the same player gave them a huge lift. Celbridge were now dominating the game and points by Barry Moyles reduced the deficit further.

Moorefield replied with a Ronan Sweeney point and one from a '45' by Patrick Murray. Celbridge continued to dominate but the Moorefield defence were outstanding. Celbridge had further scores from Andrew King and Tony McLoughlin while Bernard Behan, Brian McGrogan and Robbie Delaney sealed the issue for Moorefield.

The competiton is one of the most open in recent times.

The odds are against Caragh, Athy, Naas or Suncroft winning the title.

However because the winners of these two opening games are drawn to meet in the first round of the competition the eventual winner will at least have two games played before they take on Leixlip and this will be a big help.

Both Naas and Athy have had success in the recent past. Naas, captained by Terry McDonald, won the county final of 1990 and Athy won further back in 1987 and contested a one-sided final won by Clane in 1995.

The first round has some interesting games and the pick of these are the Moorefield v. Round Towers and Sarsfields v. Allenwood fixtures.

The Kildare championship is one of the most competitive anywhere.

No club has been able to dominate the competition to the extent that say, Baltinglass has done in Wicklow or Eire Og (and latterly O’Hanrahan’s) has in Carlow and this is surely a good indication that the standard of football is at a very acceptable level.

Four different clubs - Moorefield, Sarsfields, Round Towers and Clane - have won the last four titles.

Neither Sarsfields nor Clane have been far away from the centre of attention for the past decade although many of Clane’s players are not exactly in the first flush of youth they have so many experienced and talented performers that they cannot be ruled out.

Moorefield are the team to beat, despite going under to St. Laurences in the Leinster Leader Cup final to St. Laurences last Saturday. They face a difficult hurdle in Round Towers, who have several players with inter county experience to call upon as well as recently acquired players.

Moorefield are the holders and this will bring its own pressures.

On top of this the season has been a never-ending story for the champions.

Another Leinster title for Kildare saw to it that the county final of 2000 took place in late October. Moorefield then played in the Leinster Club Championship for the first time.

A number of players - Kenny Duane, Ronan Sweeney, Patrick Murray, Michael Ryan and Martin Ryan, have been on the county senior team and others have played at county under 21 level.

However they are still a very young side and, provided they are injury free, will remain the team to beat.

Perhaps their biggest asset is the fact that for a club team they do not have an over reliance on a small number of players.

St. Laurences, who take on Kilcullen in the opener will fancy themselves to advance to the second round where they would come up against the winners of Sarsfields and Allenwood while Leixlip certainly seem to have luck on their side in the draw.

All in all some great games to look forward to