Naas bounce back to winning ways to reach last four of SFC
Paddy McDermott wins the ball for Naas in front of Clane centre back Tadhg Montgomery Photo: Sean Brilly
After their five year unbeaten run in the Kildare Senior Football Championship was ended in their last game against Sarsfields, five-in-a-row chasing Naas bounced back to form to ease their way past Clane and into the last four.
From the very early opening exchanges, Naas looked much sharper and efficient in the attacking third and after scoring a measly 1-7 last time out, a return of 1-22 was much more in line of what you would expect from a team with such an array of attacking talent.
With Ryan Sinkey scoring half their points they led by 0-6 to 0-2 at the midway point of the opening half but a two pointer from Shane O’Sullivan, followed by one from inside the arc, brought Clane back into the game.
That second score came as a result of Clane putting pressure on the Naas kickout and similar pressure led to great chance for O’Sullivan but Eoin Doyle got across and got enough of a block on the ball to divert it on to the post.
Naas nudged themselves ahead again but a 27th minute two pointer by Brian McLoughlin brought Clane back to within a point once again.
The final minutes of the half were to prove crucial though as Alex Beirne and Kirwan scored before Naas put together the move of the match that saw the cut through the Clane backline before Kevin Cummins found the net in style to make it 1-11 to 0-8.
McLoughlin’s two pointer gave Clane hope but there was a decisive spell between the 38th and 46th minute when Naas scored eight points in a row, six from Beirne, two of which were two pointers, and there was no way back for Clane after that as Naas laid down a marker that says that they are very much still the team to beat in the knockout stages.
Luke Mullins; Mark Maguire, Brian Byrne, Rob Fitzgerald; Jack McKevitt 0-1, Eoin Doyle, Paddy McDermott; Brian Stynes, Paul McDermott 0-1; Kevin Cummins 1-0, Dermot Hanifin 0-3, Elliott Beirne 0-1; Darragh Kirwan 0-4 (2fs), Alex Beirne 0-9 (1tpf, 1tp), Ryan Sinkey 0-3. Subs: Fintan Quinn for Paul McDermott, b/s 45-f/t; Tom Kelly for E Beirne, 44; Cathal Daly for Stynes, 47; Sean Hanafin for Sinkey, 57; Tim Ryan for McKevitt, 59; Daniel Lenihan for Maguire, 60+2.
Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Sean Callan, Hugh Prendergast 0-1; Cian Shanahan, Tadgh Montgomery, Shane McCormack; Sam McCormack 0-1, James Donlon; Brian McLoughlin 0-5 (2tpf), Shane O'Sullivan 0-5 (1tp, 2fs), Adam Fitzpatrick; Adam Fanning 0-1, Sean Tighe, Oisin Tighe. Subs: Daniel Colbert for Shane McCormack, 36; Killian O'Sullivan for Fitzpatrick, 44; Callum Doran for Shanahan, 56; James Behan for O Tighe, 59.
Kieran Harris.
