Kildare: Impressive Naas dismiss Shinrone in Leinster SHC

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Naas 4-18

Shinrone 0-18

Naas announced their arrival in the Leinster Club SHC for the first time with style, panache, hunder and determination as they demolished Offaly champions, Shinrone, by no less than 15 points and now march on to the Club semi-final in two weeks time, a game fixed for Croke Park.

It has been a momentous number of years for Naas but this victory will really make top senior clubs in Leinster and further afield take note, if they had not up to this point.

Naas got stuck into this game on Saturday like their lives depended on it; strong in the tackle, work-rate exceptional they never let their opponents settle on the ball and it was two first-half goals that certainly laid the foundation for this momentous, even historic, victory.

Naas opened with a massive free from inside his own 65 by Jack Sheridan sailing through the posts and while Shinrone free-taker Donal Morkan showed his skill with a similar score it was the only time the sides were level throughout the game as Sheridan quickly added two more frees to open up a two point lead after six minutes.

Nine minutes in and Naas put down a real marker with Cathal Dowling cutting through the Shinrone defence before finding Charlie Sheridan who found the net brilliantly and send Naas five clear, 1-3 to 0-1.

Two converted frees from Morkan, the second waved wide by the umpire but over-ruled by the referee, reduced the gap but wing-back, Harry Carroll, found the posts with a fine effort for Naas.

Sean Gainey picked up a yellow, Donal Morkan converted the resultant free while Sean Cleary left just one point in it on 21 minutes — 1-4 to 0-6.

As if sensing danger Naas upped the intensity and even more importantly, their scoring rate, Kevin Aherne hit a beauty, gained possession from the puck-out and duly added another before a brilliant move involving Brian Byrne, Cathal Dowling and Kevin Aherne ended with the latter blasting to the net to make it 2-6 to 0-6 with 24 minutes on the clock.

Donal Morkan reduced the gap with a pointed free before Cathal Dowling added a point, and while Morkan fired over another free, the half-time score saw Naas lead 2-7 to 0-8 at the break.

Naas had the benefit of a stiffish breeze for the second half and got off to the perfect start with Jack Sheridan firing over an early free.

Shinrone upped their game, no doubt after some harsh words from manager Damian Carter during the break.

Three Morkan frees on the trot followed by a point from play from midfielder Luke Watkins saw the lead cut but Simon Leacy and Brian replied impressively for the Kildare champions.

Jason Sampson and Jack Sheridan exchanged points as Rian Boran picked up a yellow card, Morkan added the resultant free, the lead now cut back to three points with 39 minutes on the clock.

Brian Byrne hit second point of the half (and required attention for a bang on the head).

Jack Sheridan hit a difficult left and wide but was ordered to retake with a Shinrone player too close and this time Sheridan made no mistake.

Mid-way through and Naas put another big nail in the Shinrone coffin with Jack Sheridan setting up James Burke and the big man made no mistake finding the net and pushing his side into a lead that was now out to eight — 3-13 to 0-14.

Yellow cards for Conan Boran (Naas) and Jason Sampson (Shinrone) and while Declan Cleary added a point for the visitors, Naas came again, this time with that man Jack Sheridan adding two frees, the second for a foul on himself.

Donal Morkan converted a free but that was quickly wiped out by another converted free from Sheridan, that coming after being fouled by Michael Cleary who was giving a straight red card by the Westmeath official.

If the game was not over at that point it certainly was now and a couple of minutes later the icing on the cake arrived when Jack Sheridan was put through inside and while he did not get the sliother under control at the first time he still managed at the second attempt to find the net.

Donal Horgan added two more frees but there was no stopping Naas as they added a further five points inside the last six or seven minutes — the scores coming from Jack Sheridan (2), Cathal Dowling, Conan Boran and Simon Leacy to leave the final score line reading Naas 4-21 Shinrone 0-16.

A very, very impressive display from Naas, in this their first time in the senior club ranks of Leinster.

And considering it is something like seven weeks since they defeated Maynooth in the county final it is certainly an indication of the work and preparation that manager Tom Mullally and his management team have put in during that time.

On and on the climb of Naas goes, who would have thought four years ago they would have clocked up four senior titles, a Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate Club title an now are into a Leinster senior club semi-final and a date with no less a side than Kilkenny's Ballyhale Shamrocks who racked up a big score when defeating Castletown-

Geoghegan of Westmeath in their quarter-final.

SCORERS

Naas: Jack Sheridan 1-11 (10 frees), Kevin Aherne 1-1, Charlie Sheridan 1-0, James Burke 1-0, Simon Leacy 0-2, Brian Byrne 0-2, Cathal Dowing 0-2, Kevin Whelan 0-1, Harry Carroll 0-1, Conan Boran 0-1.

Shinrone: Donal Morkan 0-11 (11 frees), Dara Maher 0-2, Jason Sampson 0-2, Declan Cleary 0-1, Luke Watkins 0-1, Sean Clery 0-1.

TEAMS

Naas: Cormac Gallagher; John McKeon, Ross Kelly, Peter O'Donoghue; Kevin Whelan, Rian Boran, Harry Carroll; Sean Gainey, Simon Leacy; Kevin Aherne, James Burke, Charlie Sheridan; Brian Byrne cpt., Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling. Subs: Conan Boran for Kevin Whelan (42 minutes); Liam Wkalsh for Kevin Aherne (58 minutes); Ferran O'Sullivan for Charlie Sheridan (60 minutes); Rian Monaghan for Brian Byrne (62 minutes); Conor Dowling for James Burke (64 minutes).

Shinrone: Eamonn Cleary; Darren Crean, Peter Cleary, Darren O'Meara; Killian Sampson, Michael Cleary, Dara Maher; Declan Cleary, Luke Watkins; Sean Cleary, Donal Morkan, Adrian Cleary; Paul Cleary, Conor Doughan, Jason Sampson. Subs: Adam landy for Declan Cleary (46 minutes); DJ McLoughlin for Paul Cleary (55minuts); Darragh Landy for Luke Watkins (58 minuts).

Referee: Caymon Flynn, Westmeath.