Naas hold off 14-man Mount Leinster Rangers to reach the last four of Leinster
Mount Leinster Rangers’ Joe Dundon and Rian Boran of Naas Photo: ©INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
Naas progressed to a Leinster semi-final after they just about edged out Mount Leinster Rangers in a thrilling contest on Sunday at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Rangers started best with Chris Nolan posting two points. Donagh Murphy and Fitzpatrick also raised white flags. Jack Sheridan converted a free to get the visitors off the mark. He would be the main scorer for Naas in the opening half. Twice in the opening quarter, Rangers led by four points but they were pulled back when Charlie Sheridan was on the end of a simple passing movement and he found the bottom left-hand corner of the net on 22 minutes.
That strike was the difference between the sides as Rangers did well to battle away to bring the sides level at 1-8 to 0-11 at the break.
Naas pressed on after the break and could have had an early goal as Rangers keeper, Frank Foley, denied Jack Sheridan at the right hand post at the O’Hanrahan end of the ground.
It wouldn’t be long before the full-forward would eventually raise a green flag when he beat Foley from close range on 41 minutes. Rangers suffered a hammer blow when Chris Nolan picked up a second yellow card at the end of the third quarter.
Moving Kevin McDonald from a central defensive role into the full-forward line renewed the Rangers effort and they finished strongly. When Donagh Murphy hammered the ball off the woodwork which came back into play, McDonald was on hand to shoot home first time from close range.
That left only a point between them. Naas dug deep and were rewarded with Jack Sheridan landing a great point from out on the right. His second white flag meant Rangers needed a goal which never looked like coming as Naas dug deep to see out the victory.
Elsewhere, St Martins defeated All-Ireland champions Na Fianna, so Naas will travel to Wexford in two weeks for a Leinster semi-final against the team that ended their Championship last year.
Scorers:
J Sheridan 1-8 (4fs), S Leacy 0-4, C Sheridan 1-0, B Byrne 0-2, F O’Sullivan, K Harrington, C Boran 0-1.
C Nolan 0-7 (65 4fs), K McDonald 1-4 (sl 3fs), J Nolan 0-3, R Murphy, F Fitzpatrick, D Murphy 0-1 each.
Cormac Gallagher; Liam O’Reilly, Ross Kelly, Peter O’Donoghue; Harry Carroll, Daire Guerin, Charlie Sheridan; Rian Boran, Evan O’Brian; Simon Leacy, Brian Byrne, Killian Harrington; Ferran O’Sullivan, Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling. Subs: Cian Boran for O’Sullivan (38).
Frank Foley; Michael Doyle, Michael Joyce, Sean Joyce; Richard Coady, Kevin McDonald, Evan Kealy; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Conaill Fitzpatrick; Ruairi Murphy, Jon Nolan, Donagh Murphy; Ted Joyce, Diarmuid Byrne, Chris Nolan. Subs: Tim Brennan for Coady (34), Joe Dundon for R Murphy (44), Dean Tobin for Byrne (52), Paul Coady for T Joyce (54).
Eamon Furlong (Wexford).
