Kildare are Leinster minor football champions after an epic final victory over Meath in Portlaoise on Friday night.
The Lilywhites had not won a provincial minor title in seven years, and their supporters were out in their numbers at O’Moore Park.
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It proved to be a dramatic Electric Ireland Leinster minor final, with extra-time and penalties required to separate the teams.
Meath thought they had it won down the home stretch, before 1-01 from Logan Tennyson for Kildare drew the sides level and forced the extra period.
Tennyson was to break Meath hearts again in extra-time, slotting the last-gasp free to bring the game to penalties.
Ultimately, Kildare triumphed 5-3 on penalties, capping what was surely the most heartbreaking manner in which to lose such a game.
However, Meath manager Trevor Giles would give a superb, dignified interview to LMFM at full-time.
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Kildare beat Meath in Leinster minor final
Trevor Giles spoke to LMFM for over seven minutes post-match in Portlaoise, a mark of the man after such a gutting loss for his team.
WATCH: @MeathGAA Minor manager Trevor Giles speaks to LMFM’s @Davy_Rispin following tonight’s heartbreaking defeat to Kildare in the Leinster MFC Final. pic.twitter.com/3tmK1Fy7Ib
— LMFM RADIO (@LMFMRADIO) May 22, 2026
Giles was reflective, choosing to celebrate what was a terrific game of football rather than solely focusing on his own team’s heartbreak.
“It’s awful tough on these young lads, tough on adults,” Giles said.
“But they’ll be fine, the lads. We knew that was the system, we know those are the rules at the moment, there’s extra-time, there’s penalties.
“Listen, that’s the system, but the system is great.
Great character shown by our lads and, to be fair, great character shown by Kildare as well.
They’re great lads, they do work hard, they’re down to Earth, they’re competitive, they’ve great character.
It was a classy interview from the Meath legend, who went on to show amazing support for his captain Harry McGuirk.
McGuirk was superb on Friday night but was the unfortunate Meath player to miss in the shootout, an undeserved ending for such a standout player.
Giles used his own personal experience to empathise with his captain and stressed that he would be back again with force in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
He’s our leader, he’s our captain, and he plays that way. We’re delighted to have him.
Listen, I said to the lads, I missed penalties. The ’99 All-Ireland final, the 2001 one…we were five points down when we got a penalty, would have been two points down if I’d scored it, anything could have happened. I missed it, and the game got out of our reach.
So I’m not one to talk about penalties. It’s a tough thing to score, I’ve missed my share of them.
I’d spend zero time on the penalties tonight with the lads, I just focus on the 100 minutes that they were absolutely fantastic.
We’ll dust ourselves down, we’ve Cork in two weeks’ time, a big powerful team. Listen, we’ll have a go at that.
That Meath still have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to is something Giles and his players are immensely grateful for.
“It makes a massive difference,” Giles said.
“The old system, when I was playing, you got beaten in the Leinster final and that was the end of your campaign, good luck, good night!
“The system is fantastic, it gives us two weeks to get ready for an All-Ireland quarter-final. The lads are disappointed in there but, yeah, we’ll look after them. Their parents, their families will look after them.
“Yep, two weeks to focus on the quarter-final, and we’ll have a go at that.”
The entire seven-minute interview is well worth your time.
The Meath minor players will surely count themselves lucky not only to have a county legend like Giles in the dressing room, but that his outlook is so encouraging after a difficult night.
Meath will now face Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-finals in a fortnight, while Kildare face Kerry.
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