JAMES SHERIDAN
NAAS Cobras closed out 2009 with two impressive wins in three days to go into the Christmas break unbeaten and sitting on top of National League division one.
At the halfway stage of the season the Cobras are yet to concede a set and they now have a seven point lead on top of the table. Although delighted with her teams efforts so far player coach Marie Sheridan is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.
“I’m very proud of the girl’s achievements so far this season as it’s not easy to keep a clean sheet in any league. However we are only half way there to winning our first league and there’s no doubt the second half will be tougher. But we can go and enjoy a well earned break now until 5 January where we’ll start all over again.”
Their first game of the weekend was against bottom of the table Dublin side DVC and it proved a lot trickier than the Naas team might have expected.
Numerous unforced errors in the opening two sets kept DVC in touch but at the business end of both sets the class of the Naas team saw them through.
Both sets were poised at 22 all but accurate setting by Kate Ryan and big hitting by Lisa Rohan at crucial times saw Naas go into a two sets to nil lead.
Naas produced a much better final set and a great run of serves from replacement Emily Ryan and some clinical front court play saw Naas really assert their authority on the set. An ace from Marie Sheridan closed out the game to give the Cobras a sixth three nil win of the season.
Win number seven came two days later as the Cobras saw off fourth place UCD in their final game of 2009.
Despite not having any time to work on errors made in the DVC game confidence was high in the Naas team and captain Claire Walsh, a former UCD student herself, lead from the front producing some great hits to help her side take the first set 25 17.
Naas made a couple of changes in the second set with Ann Faye and Ruth Healy coming in and they started the second set where they left off in the first.
They never gave UCD a chance and pulled away to win the set 25-17 and impressively followed it up with some more solid play in the final set.
With Debbie Murray scoring some stylish points aided by more quick combinations from Faye and Claire Treacy, Naas comfortably closed out the match with a 25 16 final set win.
The Cobras will face return legs against all seven teams in the league in the New Year but confidence could not be higher as they continue their quest to win a first league title.
Naas team; Claire Walsh (capt), Kate Ryan, Ann Faye, Celine Creighton, Emily Ryan, Lisa Rohan, Debbie Murray, Claire Treacy, Ruth Healy, Aoife Carroll and Marie Sheridan (coach).