Naas score crucial goals to decide minor final

Naas made it back to back Future Ticketing Kildare Minor A Hurling Championship titles with a six point win over a Maynooth side who were also on the wrong end of the result 12 months earlier when the sides met. Goals either side of half time from centre forward Joe Corrigan and Patrick Stewart proved to be the crucial scores over the course of the game. In a tight opening half the sides were level on four occasions. It was the ability of Naas to get scores at crucial times that proved to be the main difference between the sides.

Nass captain Charlie Carroll opened the scoring inside thirty seconds before Maynooth corner forward Aaron Larkin levelled it before the opening minute had elapsed. Tom Boran and Tom Power swapped frees but the sizeable Naas forward line were causing problems and Joe Corrigan created good space for his opening score on seven.

Paul O'Dea was causing problems from his wing forward position and despite three points in a row over an eight minute spell Maynooth still trailed by 0-6 to 0-5 with 20 minutes on the clock. Tom Boran,Patrick Kennedy and Sean Gavigan all adding to the defending champions tally.The games opening goal from Joe Corrigan arrived on 21.Good work from Tom Boran from wide on the left saw him get the ball into the danger zone and Corrigan was on hand to flick past Madden in the Maynooth goal.

Tom Power did ad a free before the break for Maynooth but Charlie Carroll, from a 65, after Cillian Madden saved well from Oisin Loughran and a Tom Boran free left Naas 1-8 to 0-6 ahead at the break.

Four early Naas points moved the defending champions nine ahead five minutes after the restart. Carroll, Tom Boran, Oisin Loughran and Patrick Kennedy all on target. The margin between the sides was surprising as these two sides rarely had much between them in previous meetings. Maynooth kept plugging away and they replied with three of their own to give themselves hope. Tom Power,from a free a fourth from Paul O Dea and a long range effort from Ciaran Gorman helped reduce the gap but there was a long way back for Maynooth.

Naas weren't in the mood to let Maynooth back into contention and when Charlie Carroll's long delivery found Joe Corrigan he forced another good save from Cillian Madden but Patrick Stewart was on hand ton fire home the rebound. The gap was back out to nine with 19 minutes still left to play..Tom Boran with two, Oisin Carroll, Oisin Loughran and Fionn Frisby all added points in a purple patch and as we passed the 51st minute Naas were out of sight.They failed to ad to their tally as Maynooth finished the stronger.

After a 13 minute gap between scores Maynooth finished strong adding 2-2 within reply.Oran Byrne and Tom Power adding the two late goals to leave it 2-17 to 2-11 as the final whistle sounded.

Naas captain Charlie Carroll picked up the Man of the Match award along with the Minor title trophy in a solid performance from centre back.After Intermediate and Senior B titles in recent weeks the pressure will be on the Seniors to complete the Naas quadruple.

NAAS: Fionn Kelly, Tadhg Carolan, James Bedford, Lennon Doheny, Paul L'estrange, Charlie Carroll 0-4 (2fs, 1 '65), Cormac Geissel, Oisin O'Neill 0-1, Sean Gavigan, Fionn Frisby 0-1, Joe Corrigan 1-1, Patrick Kennedy 0-2, Patrick Stewart 1-0, Oisin Loughran 0-2, Tom Boran 0-6 (2fs). Subs: Noah Farrell for Stewart, 49; Brian Shaughnessey for Boran, 56; Seamus Redmond for Doheny, 56.

MAYNOOTH: Cillian Madden, Kallum Gilligan,Conall Knox, Joseph McNulty, Cillian Price, Cian Brody, Cian O'Donovan, Oran Byrne 1-0, Ciaran Dunne 0-1, Jerry Molloy, Ian Crawford, Paul O'Dea 0-5, Aaron Larkin 0-1,Niall Coogan,Tom Power 1-3 (3fs). Subs: Ciaran Gorman 0-1 for Ian Crawford, h/t; Daibhi Reynolds for Price, 38; Ben Nichol for Knox, 50; David Duffy for Molloy, 50; Nicholas Idanov for Larkin, 56.

REFEREE: Killian Jones.