Naas eventually shake off Athy to return to county final
Naas' Paddy McDermott races away from Athy's Barry Kelly Photo: Sean Brilly
Naas are back in the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship final for a fourth consecutive after they had to go to extra time before seeing off a stern Athy challenge. Athy were full value for that extra time as they pushed there more fancied opponents all the way in that opening 60 minutes. The county champions trailed by a point at the break and coupled with the dismissal of Alex Beirne to a black card four minutes before the break they would have been happy to regroup in the dressing rooms. Beirne went from villain to hero and back to villain again as he knocked home a 46th minute goal after his return but two minutes later he got his marching orders for a yellow card.
Athy also finished with 14 men after James Eaton received a straight red card for an off the ball incident that saw Paddy McDermott leave the field.
They were small flash points that didn't take from a highly entertaining encounter. The overall performance of Darragh Kirwan, who hit 1-6, was the difference between the sides.
Robert Fitzgerald got forward from corner back to open the scoring for the county champions but Niall Kelly, from a free and Kevin Feely had the men from the south ahead after four minutes. Feely quickly added his second on six minutes and Naas suddenly knew they had a game on their hands. In an intriguing game of cat and mouse both sides tried to break down the other. Athy were tackling like their lives depended on it which lead to Naas's stiffest test of the year.
Naas aren't heading for four in a row by chance and they responded to Athy's early lead to hit three in a row. Kirwan,Dermot Hanafin and a 45 metre free from goal keeper Luke Mullins had Naas back in front with nineteen minutes on the clock. Athy finished the half the stronger and when Feely and Niall Kelly added late points the pendulum swung back in their favour and they went to the dressing room 0-5 to 0-4 ahead. Moments before Feely's point Alex Beirne got a black card for what can only be described as a strange decision. After consulting with his fellow officials, referee Fergus Devereux was happy to give Beirne 10 minutes on the line but a card of a different colour might have been more fitting for the altercation.
Both sides were slow to return after the half time break but Naas were quickly into stride as Ryan Sinkey quickly eroded the half time deficit. Two pointed frees from Kevin Feely and Niall Kelly on 41and 43 helped push the men from Geraldine Park back into a two point lead.
The complexion of the game changed in the next five minutes.
Alex Beirne was now back on the field and when he was fouled Darragh Kirwan tapped over the 20 metre free to reduce the gap to one.Beirne then got the games opening goal after he linked up with Robert Fitzgerald before sending James Rycroft the wrong way.Naas lead 1-6 to 0-7 as we entered the last quarter.
Beirne was then involved as the third man in an altercation and when handed a yellow card to go with his earlier black his day was over early. Kirwan pushed the lead out to three for the 14 men.
Out of nowhere and with the game trickling away to the inevitable conclusion Athy conjured up a goal. The pacy Brian Maher found space behind the Naas defence and while his effort was half blocked down it fell kindly for Sean Moore who crashed it to the back of the Naas net.
Extra time was looming. Naas wanted to finish it in normal time and they worked it into a position for Paul McDermott to fire over what looked like the winning point.
As Naas drifted back in numbers to defend Athy worked the ball into the danger area Liam McGovern was presented with the free that would send us to extra time.McGovern showed nerves of steal to knock over from his first shot at the goal.
Just as in Saturday's semi final when it took extra time to seperate Sarsfields and Celbridge it was going to be the same result for a second day in a row.
We only had one score in that opening 10 minutes as Darragh Kirwan converted a free three minutes in.
Kirwan quickly added his sixth on the resumption and when he showed great pace to outstrip two Athy defenders his centre was fisted home by substitute James Burke.The gap was now five and it was hard to envisage an Athy response as cramped up players were going down everywhere.Darragh Kirwan went from provider to goal scorer before he was called ashore with five minutes to play.Naas were 9 ahead and even before the final whistle their place in a fourth final was assured.
Kevin Cummins and Cathal Daly pointed in response to a late Athy free from Cathal Kennedy. Athy did finish with 14 when Eaton's frustration boiled over and he left the referee with no option but to show the red. The final whistle brought an end to an epic battle and apart from those isolated red cards the game was played in the right spirit. The county champions had to go deep into their resources and it will be a tremendous boost that is in the locker.
Athy are always knocking on the door every year. Much like last years loss to Celbridge at the same stage they will feel a bit of might have seen them back in a final.
