Naas in seventh heaven
Brian Byrne and Richie Hogan lift the Tony Carew Cup Photo: Sean Brilly
Naas hurlers are in seventh heaven after capturing yet another UPMC Senior Hurling Championship with a relatively straightforward eight-point win over Maynooth at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
Goals from Killian Harrington, Ferran O’Sullivan and Cian Boran essentially put the game to bed by the 39th minute despite a valiant effort from Maynooth.
The first goal arrived inside only four minutes, Harrington grabbing a high delivery from Liam O’Reilly to finish crisply to the net from a tight angle.
Maynooth stuck with Naas for most of the opening half and it could have been interesting if they kept within arm’s length by half-time but a minute from the interval O’Sullivan added the second after a brilliant catch from Cathal Dowling from Peter O’Donoghue’s long delivery.
Three points in first-half injury time from Harrington and Jack Sheridan (two) helped the eventual winners to a 2-9 to 0-6 interval advantage.
Naas had a Dowling goal disallowed for a square ball in the opening minute of the second half but their third goal did arrive nine minutes into the half when Evan O’Briain and Brian Byrne set up the raiding Cian Boran, later named man-of-the-match, for a powerful finish to the net.
Maynooth never gave up with 18-year-old Tom Power flawless from frees and Ciaran Flanagan and Cathal McCabe driving them on from midfield, and they thought they had a late consolation goal when Cormac Nolan flicked home McCabe’s long ball, but that too was ruled out for a square ball.
A second yellow card for Sheridan saw him sent to the line late on but nothing would spoil Naas’ seventh in a row triumph.
Cormac Gallagher; Liam O’Reilly, Simon Leacy 0-1, Peter O’Donoghue; Rian Boran, Ross Kelly, Daire Guerin; Cian Boran 1-0, Evan O’Briain; Cathal Dowling 0-1, Brian Byrne 0-2, Liam Walsh; Killian Harrington 1-1, Jack Sheridan 0-8 (5fs,1’65), Ferran O’Sullivan 1-1. Subs: Mac Dara Moore for Harrington 46, Fionn Maher for Walsh 52, Kevin Whelan for O’Briain 59, Charlie Sheridan 0-1 (f) for Byrne 60, Richard Hogan for O’Sullivan 60+3.
Sean Bean; Matt Eustace, Martin Quilty, Conor O’Grady; Ronan Dunne, Cian Forde, Daniel O’Meara; Cathal McCabe 0-1, Ciaran Flanagan 0-1; Ciaran Dunne 0-1, Oran Byrne 0-2, Kevin Dunne; Tom Power 0-8 (8fs), Tadhg Forde, Cormac Nolan 0-2. Subs: Adam Jordan 0-1 for T Forde 38, Conall Knox for O’Grady 43, Kevin Carroll for C Forde 46.
Matthew Redmond.
