Five-in-a-row confirms Naas' absolute dominance

Naas 3-13

Coill Dubh 0-11

The signs were somewhat before a sliother was hit in anger as players clashed at the entrance to dressing rooms, as one set of last were coming in from their warm-up while the second were heading out for theirs.

It was ugly, fairly ugly to say the least and while it didn't last too long one wondered if this would set the tone of what we were about to witness on the field of play.

In fairness it was not, duly mainly by a top class display from referee Matthew Redmond who kept a firm grip on affairs throughout the entire game.

A game that never reached any real heights it has to be said and while challengers, Coill Dubh, stuck to their task for the opening 20 minutes or so, the teams having been level on four occasions in that period once Naas got the break-through goal in the 21 minute the result had something of an inevitability about it even though the boys in red were still within touching distance up to the time Jack Sheridan found the net in the 50 minute.

Sheridan had been having a ding-dong battle with his opposite number Mark Grace with the defender more than holding his own, keeping the Naas sharp shooter scoreless from open play.

But once the full-forward got a yard of a break he opened up finishing off two moves with expert blasts to the back of Owen Lenehan's net.

Coill Dubh who opened the scoring after a foul on Ryan Casey, Mark Delaney got the score board moving inside two minutes.

Two minutes later Jack Sheridan got his, and Naas, on the board with a free but Mark Delaney regained the lead on five with a fine effort from open play.

Ferran O'Sullivan dropped one short but after a fine move involving Simon Leacy, Cathal Dowling and Ferran O'Sullivan, the latter was fouled, Jack Sheridan converted the resultant free as Declan O'Flaherty was shown a yellow.

Naas edged in front for the first time when Harry Carroll hit an excellent point to leave it 0-3 to 0-2.

Johnny Byrne tied up the teams with a fine long range effort as the sides were level for the third time.

Mark Delaney had the Coill Dubh supporters on their feet, converting a 65 but a minute later Naas were level again, Jack Sheridan converting a free.

Conor Gordon picked up a yellow before a foul on Brian Byrne saw Jack Sheridan edge the champions one ahead.

The next yellow saw Jack Sheridan into the referee's book after a clash with Owen Lenehan but on 20 minutes a brilliant move down the right wing, heading into the town goal, saw Simon Leacy find Cathal Dowling who in turn put Brian Byrne in and the Naas captain made no mistake firing to the corner of Owen Lenehan's net to make it 1-5 to 0-4.

A vital score in a game up to that point that was close, tense and little between them — the goal for the first time putting more than a point between the sides.

Mark Delaney reduced the lead with a free but Kevin Whelan hit back after sideline cut from Jack Sheridan was short, collected by Ferran O'Sullivan, who got the ball back to Sheridan, who in turn fired it some 25m back to Kevin Whelan who hit the target.

Before the break Eanna O'Neill reduced the gap but right on the long whistle, Jack Sheridan converted a close-in free to leave the half time score reading Naas 1-7 Coill Dubh 0-6.

Jack Sheridan continued his accuracy from placed balls on the resumption but Dubh, having changed their free taker hit back with a converted placed ball from Conor Carew.

Both teams were guilty of some very poor shooting with Naas especially wasteful in this regard. However as Brian Byrne was making inroads into the Coill Dubh danger area, he was pulled back, Sheridan did the rest.

At that stage there had been a total of 18 wides between the sides, more than there had actually been scored.

Ross Kelly, who was rock solid throughout, make a brilliant catch under pressure from Tom Byrne but Coill Dubh reduced the gape with two excellent points, the first an inspirational score, from Declan Flaherty to cut the lead back to three.

Conan Boran added a point for the champs before Cian Boran made a brilliant clearance; Jack Sheridan outpaced his marker and duly buried it in the net; Sheridan (free) and a Brian Byrne point followed before goal no. three arrived, Sheridan again using his pace and power to get inside giving Owen Lenehan no chance from close range to make it 3-12 to 0-9.

Johnny Byrne got his second (free), Brian Byrne replied before Conor Carew got the final score of the afternoon, a free, as the final whistle arrived, Naas making it an incredible and an impressive five senior titles in a row on a final score line of Naas 3-13 Coill Dubh 0-11.

Not the greatest of finals but that certainly won't bother Naas, they showed once again, just how strong they are and even without a few lads such as James Burke, Charlie Sheridan and Rian Boran, confirmed they will be around for a few years yet.

Coill Dubh gave it their all but just had not enough, especially up front where Naas dominated throughout the entire game.

SCORERS

Naas: Jack Sheridan 2-8 (8 frees), Brian Byrne 1-2, Harry Carroll 0-1, Kevin Whelan 0-1, Conan Byrne 0-1.

Coill Dubh: Mark Delaney 0-3 (65, free), Declan Flaherty 0-2 (2 frees), Conor Carew 0-2 (2 frees), Johnny Byrne 0-2, Dylan Brereton 0-1, Eanna O'Neill 0-1.

TEAMS

Naas: Cormac Gallagher; John McKeon, Sean Gainey, Harry Carroll; Peter O'Donoghue, Ross Kelly, Kevin Whelan; Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Cathal Dowling, Conan Boran, Ferran O'Sullivan; Brian Byrne cpt, Jack Sheridan, Ferran O'Sullivan. Subs: Charlie Sheridan for Cathal Dowling (52 minutes); Ciarán Tobin for Ferran O'Sullivan (60 minutes); Liam Walsh for Cian Boran (61 minutes); Rian Boran for Simon Leacy (62 minutes); Shane Ryan for Brian Byrne (63 minutes).

Coill Dubh: Owen Lenehan; Conor Gordon, Mark Grace, Fionn Moran; Jamie Kenna, Declan Flaherty, Ross Carew; Dylan Brereton, Johnny Byrne; Enda Keane, Eanna O'Neill, Mark Delaney; Oran O'Sullivan, Ryan Casey, Conor Carew. Subs: Tom Byrne for Oran O'Sullivan (26 minutes); Chris Delaney for Mark Delaney (51 minutes); Sean Dunne for Fionn Moran (57 minutes); Finn Tierney for Johnny Byrne (57 minutes); Keenan Brereton for Conor Carew (59 minutes).

REFEREE:

Matthew Redmond.