Two-goal Maher lays platform for emphatic Naas victory
Two goals in the space of two minutes just before half time from Naas corner forward, Fionn Maher, turned this previously tight game into a winning one for Naas in Round 4 of the UPMC Intermediate Hurling Championship at a balmy Manguard Park on Saturday last. T
hose goals gave the winners the platform to dominate the final quarter in which they outscored Broadford 0-11 to 0-5. The Naas victory was achieved despite a massive haul of twelve points from play and placed balls from Broadford full forward and dual player, Josh O’Donoghue.
Up to Maher’s two goals it didn’t look like Naas would record that emphatic fifteen-point victory as the sides were level on four occasions in a lively first twenty eight minutes of play. It was score for score after O’Donoghue and Andrew Hill had given Broadford an early lead. Tom O’Donovan and a Charlie Carroll free brought us level for the first time in the seventh minute. The sides were level twice again at 0-3 and 0-4 with O’Donoghue exchanging points with Sean Burke and Seán MacDonncha.
Points from Carroll and Maher put the winners two up by the twelfth minute but back came Broadford to level it again at 0-7 each. The unstoppable O’Donoghue fired over three points, two from frees, to keep the small attendance at the edge of their seats. The game turned the way of Naas in earnest in the 28th minute, though.
Fionn Maher took a wonderful pass from Sean Burke and beat Jack Dempsey in the Broadford goals from close range and at the start of injury time Tom Boran set up the corner forward for goal number two to send Naas in leading 2-9 to 0-8 at the break. Carroll and Michael Purcell stretched that lead to nine points early in the second half but that man O’Donoghue wasn’t giving up the fight. He rattled off three unanswered points, one from a free, to reduce the deficit to six points ten minutes after the restart and a Broadford comeback looked on the cards.
However, that was as good as it got for Broadford. Naas swept up the field and a great team move led to O’Donovan cracking home goal number three for Naas in the 41st minute and the Broadford comeback immediately fell away. Naas outscored Broadford 0-11 to 0-5 in the final quarter. Purcell moved outfield and enjoyed more freedom than his original full forward position allowed and he hit four fine points during the final quarter dominated by Naas.
Carroll, O’Donovan Burke and half-time substitute Liam MacConchradha all added to the Naas tally. To his credit, O’Donoghue never gave up and added two further points and it could have been more as he was set up for a goal by Aeden Boyle in the 47th minute but the Naas stand in goalkeeper, Fionn Kelly made a fine point blank save. Jack Cahill and the busy Killian Galligan chipped in with a point apiece in the closing stages of the game. This win keeps Naas in second place with three wins, just two points behind Leixlip. They had a massive points difference of plus 60 coming into Saturday’s game which they enhanced with the victory but their score difference could have been enhanced further but for the eighteen wides they recorded on the day.
They will be odds on to reach the UPMC Intermediate Hurling Final, however where they are likely to meet favourites, Leixlip in what would be an exciting encounter.
Fionn Kelly; Matthew Kelly, Diarmuid Greene, Tadhg Carolan; Rossa Stapleton, Bill Hennessy, Seán MacDonncha 0-1; Mac Dara Moore 0-1, Kevin Aherne; Sean Burke 0-2, Charlie Carroll 0-6 (2f), Tom O’Donovan 1-5; Fionn Maher 2-1, Michael Purcell 0-5, Tom Boran.
Liam MacConchradha 0-1 for Rossa Stapleton, Luke Connolly for Tom Boran and James Bedford for Kevin Aherne (all H/T).
Jack Dempsey; Paraic Farrell, Shayne Boyle, Billy Hackett; Kieran Ryan, Killian Galligan 0-2, Conor Flynn; Shane Grimes; Andrew Hill 0-1; Adam Quinn, Shane Flanagan, Dan Perry; Jack Cahill 0-1, Josh O’Donoghue 0-12 (5f, 1'65), Aedan Boyle.
Dylan Brannigan for Adam Quinn 40, Ben Bradley for Shane Flanagan 47, Robert Lynch for Dan Perry 50, Eoin O’Connor for Aedan Boyle 50, Kevin Kane for Jack Cahill 51.
Ray Kelly
