Tragedy with The Kingdom to Glory in Croker; recounting Kildare hurling's Cinderella 2025

Daragh Nolan recounts Kildare's journey from opening day disappointment against Kerry to Joe McDonagh cup glory just 50 days later

Kildare’s 2025 Joe McDonagh Cup win is one of the counties greatest feats this century with a Championship win that marked the ascension of Kildare hurling to new heights. Much like Cinderella however, their story began with tragedy at The Kingdom.

Tension was at fever pitch when Kerry came to town with most of the chatter being that The Lilies’ most winnable game was on the docket. That anxiety seemingly translated to the pitch with Kildare turning in one of their poorest performances for some time in a one-point home defeat. The loss was disheartening beyond belief and the scars of previous Joe McDonagh years still appeared to be showing as The Lilies remained in pursuit of the counties first ever victory in a McDonagh Cup game.

Few knew then that a likely despondent yet resilient group of players were at the base of a gladiatorial rise through to rule the competition which had long been their kryptonite.

One benefit of the intense McDonagh Cup format was that there was little time to reflect on their 1-17 to 0-19 defeat with Westmeath in town just one week later.

What followed was an electric opening to a supercharged Kildare performance with the home side leading 0-5 to no score after four minutes which turned into 2-7 to 0-4 after 10. Melville and Sheridan with the goals as the Boran’s bursted at breakneck speed. Perhaps more heartening than if they had blown The Lake County away, Kildare led by as much as 13 before being pegged back to just four, but held their nerve for a 3-24 to 2-21 win and their first ever Joe McDonagh Cup victory.

The win sparked delight among fans and a sense of a weight being lifted. Yet Brian Dowling, while delighted, remained adamant that this was just the start. In truth, Dowling and this fantastic set of players remained steps ahead of those in the stands when it came to ambitions and, while many looked down the table at what was below, they were taking aim at Carlow and Laois above.

The steadfastly loyal but naturally apprehensive Lilywhite contingent had a week off from the trials and tribulations of their beloved men with sticks and it was on May 10 that people started to see what Brian Dowling had seen in this group. Kildare faced one of the Championship favourites Carlow, a brilliant hurling outfit, at Netwatch Cullen Park and emerged with the shock result of the year to that point. After leading by four at the break, The Lilies once again showed their bottle in an edgy climax to this fixture to secure their second win.

If you were in attendance, it was clear that this Kildare side had turned a corner and whether that was going to lead to the success that it in the end did was immaterial. Outside of the Kildare sphere, The Lilies’ back-to-back wins were partially attributed to a ‘weaker’ Westmeath side than previous years and a superior Carlow team that ‘just weren't at it’.

There would be no hiding against table-toppers Laois they said…before Kildare ran riot in O’Moore Park with an astounding 4-20 to 1-18 win. This team was for real and hopes of staying up had long turned into aspirations of glory.

Despite their credentials having been demonstrated, Kildare still had a certain monkey to get off their back when Down, who had beaten Kildare in the 2025 NHL Division 2 Final, came to Newbridge. It was narrative on top of narrative week after week for this team with so many demons to exorcise that William Friedkin ought to have directed their journey. Brian Dowling’s men made light work of their redemptive piece with a 1-26 to 1-14 win in Cedral St Conleth’s Park.

On June 8, 2025, 50 days after their first ever win in the competition, Kildare marched onto the field in Croke Park as Joe McDonagh Cup finalists to face Laois. The Lilies had proven they could beat Laois but, after all these years, there is no room for hubris in the Kildare psyche.

A year on from their Christy Ring Cup win, Kildare replicated their success in HQ with a 2-26 to 1-19 win in an awe-inspiring showing on the biggest stage that they had ever performed on. It was a crowning moment for a talented and industrious group and an ascension for a county many had called underperformers. They had performed and had done so in some style.

Their 2025 concluded a week later with defeat to Dublin in a Liam McCarthy Cup outing. As The Lilies exited the field, Newbridge stood to applaud them as one of the best years in Kildare’s hurling history came to an end.

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