Dominant Naas prove too strong in battle of the Lilies
Naas CBS are pictured after defeating Ardscoil Na Trionoide (Athy) in the South Leinster Post Primary Junior Football 'A' Final in Manguard ParK Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
Raheens club man, Rory Thompson, was the shining light as Naas CBS proved much too strong for their fellow Kildare school, Ardscoil na Tríonóide of Athy in the Leinster PPS South Junior Football “A” Final in a bitterly cold Manguard Park on Thursday afternoon. Thompson accounted for 4-2 of his side’s total and set up Oisin McAfee for the second of their five goals in the 6th minute.
This was the second loss in a Leinster Final in five days for the south Kildare school and although their senior team went agonisingly close on Saturday last this Junior team were firmly outclassed by the county town school.
Thompson got the first of his goals in the third minute after a fine catch and run by midfielder, Hugh Kelly, who fed wing forward Max Sargent and the Eadestown man set up Thompson for the first green flag. The Raheens then man put McAfee through for goal number two three minutes later and he finished the half with his second goal on the stroke of half time.
After a bright opening with the wind in which they went in front through two Sean Rowan frees Ardscoil had to play second fiddle to Naas for the remainder of the game and they trailed 3-3 to 0-4 at the break with Rowan getting all their scores and all from frees.
The very impressive Hugh Kelly stretched the half time lead to nine points a minute after the restart and Thompson completed his hattrick of goals three minutes later. With further good points from play from McAfee and Kelly, Thompson rounded off the scoring for Naas with their fifth and his fourth goal from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after he was upended in the square himself.
Ardscoil had to rely on the free taking of Rowan for their three second half points, two of which came deep in injury time.
Ryan Sargent (Eadestown); Colin Parker (Naas), Daniel Sargent (Eadestown), Eoghan Markey (Trim); Niall McAndrew (Naas), Aran Martin (Naas), Cathal Harris (Raheens); Hugh Kelly (Kill) 0-2, Fionn Stewart Byrne (Ballymore Eustace) 0-1; Oisin McAfee (Raheens) 1-1, Rian Curran (Raheens), Max Sargent (Eadestown) 0-2; Callum Cowser (Naas), Rory Thompson (Raheens) 4-2 (2 frees, 1-0 pen), Jack Reilly (Kill). Subs: Mark McCarthy (Sallins) for Callum Cowser 44, Ronan Walsh (Eadestown) for Cathal Harris 48, Liam Mescall (Eadestown) for Fionn Stewart Byrne 48, Harry Ward (Kill) for Oisin McAfee 54, Tadhg O’Neill (Naas) for Colin Parker.
Sean Kelly (Rheban); Tomas McHugh (St Laurence’s), Jimmy Grufferty (Barrowhouse), Caoimhin O'Shaughnessy (Rheban); Hugh Kennedy (Athy), Orran Langton (Barrowhouse), Cian Murphy (St Joseph’s); Jay Leigh (Athy), Cameron Pedreschi (Athy); Jack Kelly (Rheban), Calum Keaveny (Athy), Roan Brennan (St Jospeh’s); Danny O’Brien (St Joseph’s), Sean Rowan (St Joseph’s) 0-7 (all frees), Padraig Grufferty (St Laurence’s) Subs: Bobby Donnelly (St Laurence’s) for Jack Kelly, Colm Lynch (St Joseph’s) for Hugh Kennedy.
Henry Barrett (Kildare)
