Naas and Maynooth must try again after cracking intermediate final

UPMC Intermediate Hurling Championship final

Naas 2-11

Maynooth 2-11

A cracking UPMC Intermediate Hurling Championship final ended all square between Naas and Maynooth at sun-drenched Manguard Park on Sunday afternoon.

And what a contrast from the previous day as rain and wind made life very difficult on a very soft surface but by Sunday conditions had improved immeasurably as Naas and Maynooth went head-to-head and while it looked for long periods that Naas would prevail all credit to Maynooth who refused to lie down and actually took the lead for the first time with a Neil Delaney goal on 48 minutes only for Naas to regain the initiative with a similar score from Colm Nolan two minutes later.

It was nip and tuck from here to the end with Darragh Power converting a 65 to level on 61 minutes and while both sides missed chances (Maynooth two) in the end both were probably happy to have another go at it with the replay fixed for Saturday at Coneff Park, Clane.

It was the best possible start for Naas, and of course for Maynooth the last thing that were hoping for, when a long ball in from John Madden saw James Finn get a delicate touch to divert the sliothar past Cathal Lafferty in the Maynooth goal inside the opening minute of play.

Conor Donnelly added a point for the county town team before Darragh Power converted a free for Maynooth to open their account on four minutes.

Naas, with the majority of the early possession, added points from wing forward Donnelly before county footballer Neil Flynn, showing his skill with the small ball, when making one of his well-known trade mark runs combining with Conor Walsh but his shot (Flynn's) on goal was weak and gave Shane O'Connor no bother in the Naas goals.
Theo Frisby was next up for Naas to raise a white flag to make it 1-4 to 0-1 on 17 minutes.

Two minutes later Maynooth gave themselves a much needed boost when a move involving Willie Lambe, Joe Millett and Robbie Wall ended with the latter finding the Naas let to make it 1-4 to 1-1.

Unaffected by that set-back Naas continued to press forward with the experienced Odhran Loughran splitting the posts, Michael Gainey fired from close range and when Colm Nolan added another Naas were now six clear.

Before the break Maynooth got one back when Darragh Power converted a free to leave the half-time score reading Naas 1-7 Maynooth 1-2.

Colm Nolan stretched the lead on the resumption but Maynooth upped their game and points from Shane Whyte, Conor Walsh and Darragh Power (free) left three between the sides — 1-8 to 1-5 on 38 minutes.

Conor Donnelly extended the led with a free; Darragh Power replied with a similar score before Neil Delaney left two in it on 47 minutes.

One minute later and Maynooth hit the front when Robbie Wall sent Neil Delaney in and the centre forward found the net to make it Maynooth 2-7 Naas 1-9.

Naas replied immediately with a point from Odhran Loughran and then a goal after Daire Kelleghan combined with Loughran who put Colm Nolan and the corner forward, still with a bit to do to shake off his marker, made no mistake to make it 2-10 to 2-7 on 49 minutes.

Theo Frisby stretched the Naas lead to two with seven minutes remaining but back came Maynooth again, this time corner back, Conor O'Grady finding the range to leave two in it and when centre back Willie Lambe hit a beauty we were down to the slimmest of margins.

A brilliant block by James Finn denied David Eustace and as we passed the 60 minute mark it was Maynooth who struck the leveler with Darragh Prendergast splitting the posts with a 65.

Both sides had the opportunity to find the winner, in fact Maynooth had two but failed on both chances as the long whistle finally arrived with the scores deadlocked at 2-11 apiece.

Scorers: Naas, Colm Nolan 1-2, James Finn 1-0, Conor Donnelly 0-4 (2 frees), Odhran Loughran 0-1, Theo Frisby 0-2, Colm Nolan 0-1, Michael Gainey 0-1.

Maynooth, Neil Delaney 1-2, Robbie Wall 1-0, Daragh Power 0-5 (4 frees, 65), Conor O'Grady 0-1, Willie Lambe 0-1 (free), Conor Walsh 0-1, Shane White 0-1.

NAAS: Shane O'Connor; Daire Kellighan, Mark Carter, Brian Spillane; Shane Knott, Diarmuid Green, Matthew Kelly; Tom O'Donovan, John Madden; Conor Donnelly, Odhran Loughran, Theo Frisby; Colm Nolan, James Finn, Michael Gainey. Subs: John Rigney for Michael Gainey (45 minutes); Tom McKeon for Shane Knott (45 minutes); Eamon Doyle for Tom O'Donovan (50 minutes).

MAYNOOTH: Cathal Lafferty; Conor O'Grady, Robby Moore, Kevin Carroll; Aidan Coonan, Willie Lambe, Kevin McNeill; Neil Flynn, Paudie Doran; Conor Walsh, Neil Delaney, Shane Whyte; Darragh Power, Joe Millett, Robbie Wall. Subs: Morgan Dunne for Kevin McNeill (34 minutes); David Eustace for Robbie Wall (56 minutes).

REFEREE: Eoin Murphy.