Naas score four goals on way to third successive Minor 'A' title
Naas celebrate with the Gilligan Cup Photo: James Lawlor
Three first half goals gave Naas the platform to secure a third Manguard Plus Minor A Football Championship in a row as they overcame Raheens in an entertaining curtain raiser at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
Nathan Dunne’s opening goal on eight minutes gave them an early boost before two opportunistic finishes from Callum Cowzer inside a minute gave them a nine-points lead by the eighteenth minute.
Raheens did get the gap back to five points early in the second half but a fourth Naas goal, courtesy of midfielder Mark Travers on 44 minutes kept the lid on any hopes of a dramatic comeback.
Direct ball into the full-forward line proved a rewarding tactic for Naas in the opening half and Dunne almost took advantage inside the opening minute when Cowzer put him through but he pulled his shot left and wide.
Man-of-the-match Aidan McGrane, who finished on seven points, opened the scoring with a point before a Rory Thompson free and a clever score from a quick solo-and-go from TJ Carr gave Raheens the lead.
McGrane drew a fine save from Raheens keeper Aidan Kane before his free levelled matters at two apiece.
In the eighth minute Cowzer fed Dunne and this time he made no mistake, slotting low just inside the left-hand post.
Thompson and Naas ‘keeper Colum Gibbons (’45) exchanged points to leave it 1-3 to 0-3 at the quarter-hour mark but Naas hit a purple patch where they found gaping holes in the Raheens defence with Seán Óg Cunnie and Cowzer proving a lethal combination, the former setting up the latter three times, with two goals ensuing.
For the first chance, Kane got down low to deny Cowzer but the corner-forward then netted twice within a minute, first palming home overhead and then fisting a bouncing ball past the ‘keeper from close range.
McGrane’s long-ranger made it 3-4 to 0-3 and it looked at that stage as if it might get ugly for Raheens, but they hung in and after Alan Thompson wriggled through to bring a point-blank save from Gibbons, he turned provider to deliver a high ball in for midfielder Éanna O’Shaughnessy to divert past the Naas keeper.
Rory Thompson added a point from a free before McGrane did likewise for Naas to leave the holders 3-5 to 1-4 ahead at the interval.
Travers extended the advantage on the restart but Rory Thompson’s two-pointer and a single from substitute Daniel Britton Milner narrowed the gap to five.
Naas re-asserted themselves with two points from McGrane and the game-clinching goal from Travers, buried low past Kane on 44 minutes.
Referee Jamie Lyons had to show four yellow cards immediately afterwards to restore order after a couple of melees as emotions threatened to spill over, but a game broke out again three minutes later when the Thompson brothers combined with Alan setting up Rory for a superb finish to the bottom right.
That goal nine minutes from the time was Raheens’ last score and Naas hammered home their superiority with three more points from Cowzer, Dunne and McGrane to clinch the three-in-a-row.
Colum Gibbons 0-1 (‘45); Ollie Dlhos, Colin Parker, Alan Smyth; Aaran Martin, Cillian Long, Niall McAndrew; Mark Travers 1-1, Matthew Costello; Giles Healy, Robbie Milham, Aidan McGrane 0-7 (3fs); Sean Óg Cunnie, Nathan Dunne 1-1, Callum Cowzer 2-1. Subs: Harry Feely for Smyth 39, Odhran Sherry for Martin 46, Ronan Lenehan for Healy 57, Kieran Loughran for Cunnie 59, Finn Brennan for Dlhos 61.
Aidan Kane; Rian Cramer, Rory Cooke, Noah Molimard; Billy O'Neill, Cathal Harris, Oisín McAfee; Éanna O'Shaughnessy 1-0, Rian Curran; Stephen Murphy, Rory Thompson 1-5 (1tp,2fs), Rian Dunne; Stephen Hamill, Alan Thompson, TJ Carr 0-2. Subs: Daniel Britton Milner 0-1 for S Murphy 33, Patrick Tracy for Dunne 42, Ronan Crowley for O’Shaughnessy 54, Fionn Hamill for P Murphy 59, Aidan Malone for Carr 61.
Jamie Lyons.
