SHC Final: Hard to look beyond Naas but Coill Dubh deserve huge respect

They met back in Round 1 Group A, of the UPMC Senior Hurling Championship, a game Naas won by ten, but come Sunday afternoon, that game will have little or no bearing as Naas and Coill Dubh meet in this season's SHC final at Manguard Park.

Naas are appearing in their fifth final in a row, seeking their fifth title in a row and in that five year period have lifted Kildare hurling to heights never seen before, winning a Leinster Club title, before going on to be crowned Leinster Intermediate Club champions back in n2021.

All that success has now seen the winners of the Kildare senior hurling championship operating at the highest level when it comes to provincial action, mixing it with the big boys in the Leinster Club hurling.

That they did back last season, knocking up a win over the Carlow champions before eventually bowing out to the eventual Leinster but also the All-Ireland champions James Stephens of Kilkenny.

At the start of that five year winning run in Kildare, the boys from Naas defeated Coill Dubh in 2019 by just three points (0-15 to 0-12) so what chance has the same opposition, Coill Dubh, now have in bringing to an end that incredible run of success?

At the start of the season the only question on most hurling folk lips in Kildare was who would be taking on Naas in the 2023 final.

There were not too many clubs in contention but Coill Dubh being Coill Dubh would always be expected to be there or there abouts.

Operating in Group A, along side Naas, the boys in red and white defeated Éire Óg Corra Choill and Ardclough to make it to the semi-final, where they met and defeated a Celbridge side that many felt were the best equipped to give Naas a stern test.
That was not the way Coill Dubh saw it.

Having made their intentions known by bringing Paddy Kelly back on board as manager. Paddy was in charge when Coill Dubh last lifted the title in 2014 and 2015, and has certainly been waving his magic wand once again as his side put on a very impressive display when disposing of Celbridge side by all of five points.

It was Coill Dubh at their best. Strong in defence, very strong in defence where their full back line of Conor Gordon, Mark Grace and Fionn Moran, along with centre back Declan Flaherty were supreme.

Each and every player in red fought tooth and nail for every ball, every break, every opportunity and showed the hunger and the skill needed to succeed at this level.

They have in Mark Delaney, Ryan Casey, Eanna O'Neill and Johnny Byrne, players who are more than capable of succeeding.
And have no doubt Paddy Kelly will have them in tip-top shape, players who will test the champions to the limit.

And what of Naas?

Well I think everything good that could hace been said and written about the boys from the county town side have been spoken and written at this stage.

Superbly managed by Tom Mullally, a man who is highly regarded not only at club level but county level, having led Carlow to the Joe McDonagh title in 2023, a mighty achievement by any standards.

Naas defeated Maynooth in the semi-final, the same opposition they defeated in the final of 2022, and once again Maynooth put Naas to the pin of their collective collars before finally getting the better of them, the lads from north of county simply running our of steam, running out of luck and in fairness they had no excuses having seen their ace marksman, David Qualter hit no less that 12 of the15 points they scored two weeks ago.

Naas lined out that day, on a soggy, slippery, miserable wet day at Hawkfield, in conditions far from conducive for decent hurling but they stuck with it, refused to bow and as we have seen on a few occasions this season, got the better of the opponents late on.

Missing that day through injury were the likes of Charlie Sheridan who has been enjoying a fine season since moving to midfield; Rian Boran while Cathal Dowling only came on late.

If all are fit to start on Sunday it will certainly give Tom Mullally some headache as to who should start and who should be held in reserve.

Sean Gainey, a fine experienced player came in at no. 3 for Rian Boran while the other two Boran boys, Conan and Cian also started and certainly made an impact.

Jack Sheridan fired over six points, probably his lowest scoring return in any game this season while beside him Brian Byrne raised three white flags.

Ross Kelly, back at no 6 is a big player in every sense; Titch Whelan, Peter O'Donoghue make up an excellent half-back line while behind them John McKeon and keeper Cormac Gallagher know what playing at this level is all about.
James Burke is a leader along with the lads already mentioned so all told we could be in for a cracking game of hurling.

Naas go in as firm favourites and while they should come out on top they will only do so if they play to the top of their game, anything less and the Carew Cup could be going back to where it came from the last time it was not in the county town.

Prediction: Naas.
Venue: Manguard Park.
Sunday October 15; 3.30.