All too easy for Naas
James Burke was among the goals for Naas in their win over Celbridge
Naas continue to look unstoppable in the UPMC Kildare Senior Hurling Championship after strolling to another win today at Cedral St Conleths Park.
Charlie Sheridan got the ball rolling against a hapless Celbridge side in the third minute, dispossessing a Celbridge defender before advancing on ‘keeper Fiachra Ó Muineacháin and batting home the opening goal.
Daragh Kirwan looked sharp and determined to make his mark, and he registered five points over the hour. He certainly looks the part as a top-class club hurler as he has stepped seamlessly into this excellent Naas side.
It felt as if the second goal would prove pivotal and unfortunately for the neutral it fell to Naas on twenty minutes. Again, Celbridge played a part in their own downfall with Michael Owens losing possession to James Burke and Brian Byrne providing the final ‘assist’ for Sheridan to apply the finish to his second goal on twenty minutes.
Burke majestically rose above his marker to grasp a long ball, and the end result was inevitable when he unleashed a piledriver for the third goal three minutes later and by half-time they were out the gate with a 3-14 to 0-5 advantage.
If the first-half was one-sided, the second was a procession, Gerry Keegan’s 42nd minute point their only score after the break while Naas ended up with fourteen different scorers including the impressive Byrne who ended with six points from an all-action display.
The fourth goal arrived five minutes from the end. Kirwan’s shot was saved by Ó Muineacháin and Sheridan’s follow-up was scrambled off the line, but substitute Michael Purcell pounced to apply the close-range finish.
Jack Sheridan had been relatively quiet throughout the hour but he caught the Celbridge defence cold with a minute remaining, blasting to the net from a twenty-metre free when the opposition may have been expecting a tap-over free.
There was still time for Naas to add four more points after that, leaving Celbridge thoroughly demoralised.
Cormac Gallagher; Liam O’Reilly, Rian Boran, Evan O’Briain 0-2; Daire Guerin, Conan Boran 0-1, Harry Carroll 0-1; Peter O’Donoghue 0-3, Simon Leacy 0-1; Oisín O’Neill 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 0-5, Brian Byrne 0-6; Charlie Sheridan 2-1, James Burke 1-0, Jack Sheridan 1-6 (1-3fs). Subs: Killian Harrington 0-1 for O’Neill 36, Kevin Whelan 0-1 for Carroll 45, Ross Kelly for O’Reilly 47, Michael Purcell 1-2 for Burke 50, John McKeon for O’Briain 52.
Fiachra Ó Muineacháin; Odhrán Conaty 0-1, Jack O’Brien, Ciarán Kirwan; Michael Owens, Alan Goss 0-1, Seán Mimnagh; Conor O’Brien, Gerry Keegan 0-2; James Dolan 0-1, Seán Gleeson, Oisín Lynam 0-1; Andrew McNiffe, David Daly, Cian McGrath. Subs: Colmán O’Donovan for C O’Brien 26, Kieran Rubotham for McGrath 43, Finnan Ó Dúlaing for McNiffe 43, Ben Elliott for Daly 53.
Billy O’Connell.
