Leixlip 'B' title adds icing to the cake with Senior B Championship win

Leixlip 1-16

Naas 2-8

Promoted before a sliother was hit in anger, Leixlip finished off a great season by being capturing the UPMC SHC 'B' title with a five point win over Naas (2nds) in the final at Manguard Park on Saturday afternoon.

Leixlip, demoted from the senior ranks just 12 months ago, were determined that they would bounce back at the first opportunity to the top tier and they did with impressive fashion with a fine brand of hurling that saw them repeat their win over this Naas side earlier in the season.

From the word go Leixlip made their intentions known with an excellent move involving Conor Burke, Cathal Melville and Darragh Melville saw the latter split the posts.

It was Darragh Melville who really put his stamp on this game early on adding a second point (free), a third and a fourth from play before the opening goal of the game arrived on eight minutes.

A Leixlip attack, following a succession of quick-fire hand passes saw Melville gain possession on the left wing heading into the town goal, and while most expected him to fire over, he decided to go low and buried the ball in the right hand corner of Sean Burke's net to make it 1-4 to no score.

Leixlip had the benefit of the stiffish breeze but were dominating all sectors and when Jack Travers opened his account the newly promoted side now led by eight.

As we approached mid-way through the half Daire Guerin finally got Naas off the mark, quickly followed by an Eoin O'Hehir free.

John Roche picked up yellow card but there was no stopping the boys in maroon who added points from Jack Travers, John Roche (free) and two more from Travers to now lead 1-9 to 0-2 on 21 minutes.

Sean Murphy (Naas) picked up a yellow before Travers found the range again but just before the break Eoin O'Hehir added his third to leave the half-time score reading Leixlip 1-10 Naas 0-3.

Naas came out with intent on the resumption and when they were awarded a 20m free in the opening minute Eoin O'Hehir decided to go for broke and his shot which Leixlip keeper Keith O'Callaghan got his stick to it the sliother flew up finding the top of the net for the perfect start.

Leixlip came out and when Ben Travers got in he looked certain to find the net but Sean Burke was equal to the task to deny him.

Ryan Doyle who had a great game on the edge of his own square showed his determination and skill dispossssed a Naas attacker, found Jack Travers who fired over for one of the points of the game.

John Roche, who was immense throughout but especially in the second half, then added a brilliant long range effort to make it 1-12 to 1-3 after 37 minutes.

Shane Ryan got his first for Naas, gaining possession from the puck-out, turning and firing over.

A John Roche free was relied by a similar score from Shane Ryan but three minutes later it was John Roche, this time from open play added another for Leixlip.

Mac Dara Moore got one back for the boys in blue and white but that was replied to by Darragh Melville with a free to make it 1-15 to 1-6.

Naas threw everything at Leixlip but some great defending led by Ryan Doyle kept them at bat.
Enda O'Neill got his only point of the game for Naas before Naas came again with Shane Ryan hitting a cracking shot that looked destined for the net but a brilliant diving save from Leixlip keeper Keith O'Callaghan made a brilliant save at the butt of the post to deny him.

Late on a long ball in saw Colm Nolan get on the end of it and find the net and while Nolan fired over a point soon after it was Naas who got the final point of the game, from a Jack Travers as the final whistle arrived, Leixlip deservedly winning on a final score line of Leixlip 1-16 Naas 2-8.

Scorers: Leixlip, Darragh Melville 1-5 (2 frees), Jack Travers 0-6, John Roche 0-4 (2 frees ), Cathal Melville 0-1.

Naas, Eoin O'Hehir 1-2 (3 frees), Colm Nolan1-1, Shane Ryan 0-2, Daire Guerin 0-1, Mac Dara Moore 0-1, Enda O'Neill 0-1.

LEIXLIP: Kevin O'Callaghan; Jack McGonigle, Ryan Doyle, Dara Mooney; Conor Higgins, John Doran, Conor Burke; Sean O'Connor, John Roche; Ben Travers, Jack Travers, Tomas Seale; Darragh Melville, Cormac Keegan, Cathal Melville. Subs: Stephen Ryan for Cathal Melville (half-time); James Canning for Tomas Seale (49 minutes); Eoghan Harrington for Ben Travers (56 minutes); Cillian Nicholson for Dara Mooney (60 minutes).

NAAS: Sean Burke; Kevin Kelleher, Rob Byrne, Donal McSweeney; Liam O'Reilly, Darach Mac Donncha, Bill Hennessy; Eoin O'Hehir, Daire Guerin; Mac Dara Moore, Enda O'Neill, Al Bergin; Sean Murphy, Seamus Kelleher, Shane Ryan. Subs: Fionn Maher for Seamus Kelleher (26 minutes); Diarmuid Greene for Sean Murphy (half-time); Colm Nolan for Al Bergin (54 minutes).

REFEREE: Brian Kearney.