Tight and tense but Naas make it three-in-a-row

Naas 0-13

Celbridge 0-11

The clock was showing 68 minutes as Celbridge's Paddy Brophy fired over a free to leave a single point separating them and champions Naas.

The kick-out followed, surely Celbridge would push up and put pressure on Luke Mullins in the Naas goals?
But the Naas custodian probably had the easiest and most comfortable kick-out of the afternoon as he duly found a fellow Naas man, all alone, who began a move, that ended with Darragh Kirwan punching a point, the long whistle arrived, Naas are crowned champions for the third season in a row, a truely remarkable achievement in these times and for Celbridge heart-break as they remain with that one solitary senior championship to their name, that back in 2008.

That final phase of the action showed the difference between the sides — Naas absolutely tuned in while Celbridge, at the most vital time of the game, turned off; call it experience or lack of same but regardless it was the difference between the teams in a game that took a long time to come to life; a game Naas looked to be cruising for most of it but most importantly a game looked like a team that fully believed that were always going to win, while Celbridge, well ...

Celbridge started impressively winning possession from the throw-in, Kevin Flynn gaining possession, and in one of his trademark solo runs, ran at the Naas defence before punching over the bar for the opening score of the game.

A perfect start for Micheál McDermott's side but Naas hit back instantly and impressively with Alex Beirne leveling up and a minute later the same player was in, this time had his shot blocked by a defender but Luke Mullins' 45 drifted wide of the target.

A few minutes later and Naas took the lead, a lead they were never to relinquish after a foul on Paddy McDermott saw Alex Beirne convert and soon after Darragh Kirwan opened his account as Naas led 0-3 to 0-1 with just eight minutes on the clock.

Even at this early stage Celbridge had lots of players at the back, thus allowing Cathal Daly and Brian Byrne to carry possession into the opposite half of the play time and time again.
Paddy Brophy had his point attempt blocked as the Naas fans roared their approval.

It was not until the fourteen minute before Celbridge, playing in red and black opened their account after a move involving Dean O'Donoghue, Fergal Conway, Kevin O'Callaghan and Conway again ended with the full forward splitting the posts.
Cathal Daly dispossessed Fergal Conway, moving the ball forward quickly to Alex Beirne who fired over to put three between the sides.

A dangerous Celbridge, one of few early on, was brought to an end by an alert Cathal Daly who had an excellent opening half.
Jack McKenna who got up and down the wing time and time again was fouled and this time 'keeper Mullins made no mistake with an excellent free.

Celbridge were struggling to gain any meaningful possession as they continued to allow Naas defenders to carry the ball into their half of the pitch and on 20 minutes in a move we had seen on numerous occasions up to now Brian Byrne carried the ball forward, skipped past a few defenders before being fouled and Luke Mullins said thank you very much and duly converted to leave Naas leading 0-6 to 0-1 on 20 minutes.

Naas, who lined out with James Burke in midfield, the dual player having recovered from a hamstring problem that saw him miss the hurling final a week earlier; also started this game with Eamonn Callaghan on the bench.

Dermot Hanafin saw his long range attempt come off the upright and going out wide but quickly after than the same player set up Darragh Kirwan and Naas now led by six.

Davy Hughes got Celbridge's third point of the half, some fourteen minutes after their second with a fine effort but a foul on Fergal Conway saw the resultant free miss the target.

Celbridge who lined out without Hugh McGrillen, Peter McAteer coming in to make his championship debut, saw Kevin O'Callaghan get on the end of a high ball in, kicking over, despite being fouled to leave the half-time score reading Naas 0-7 Celbridge 0-3.

There was some pushing and shoving as the players headed for the tunnel and the dressing rooms but nothing too serious.
On the resumption Celbridge needed a quick start and they got it with Davy Hughes pointing after being set up by Tony Archbold and when Hughes converted a free on 33 minutes the lead was quickly back to a ingle point, the boys in red and black having kicked four points on the trot to get right back into it.

A kick-out from Luke Mullins was brilliantly flicked on to Brian Byrne by James Burke; Byrne punted forward to Sean Hanafin who fired over the point of the game and when brother Dermot quickly tacked on another point Naas were three clear again with 34 on the clock.

The game was held up for some six minutes after Tony Archbold picked up a serious leg injury and was stretchered off.
Celbridge reduced the lead with a fine effort from substitute Niall O'Regan.

Naas were back on the attack but a pass was intercepted putting Celbridge in the clear but Eoin Doyle, took one of the team, deliberately fouled, was rightly given a black card but Celbridge missed the resultant free and when Darragh Kirwan added another Naas were back two clear again.

At this stage Naas showed all their experience as they held possession time and time again counting down the ten minutes until their captain returned.

Celbridge got back to a single point with two Paddy Brophy frees as the tension was now at its highest.
A foul on Sean Hanafin saw the resulting free drifting wide as Doyle returned brining the Naas back up to the XV mark.

Nine minutes of time added on, due to the injury hold-up, added to the tension as Celbridge hit two wides in succession, both long range efforts in fairness before Naas came again with Tom Browne combining with Darragh Kirwan ending with Paul McDermott hitting a beauty and when Kevin Cummins added another Naas were now three clear.

Eamonn Callaghan showed all his experience when introduced using the ball intelligently but Aaron Browne reduced the deficit to two.

Clock was ticking, Paddy Brophy fired over a free, just one in it but from the resultant kick-out Naas gained possession, unchallenged, surged forward, Darragh Kirwan punching over as the long whistle arrived, Naas making history their third SFC in a row.

SCORERS
Naas: Darragh Kirwan 0-4, Alex Beirne 0-3 (1 free), Luke Mullins 0-2 (2 frees), Paul McDermott 0-1, Kevin Cummins 0-1, Dermot Hanafin 0-1, Sean Hanafin 0-1.

Celbridge: Davy Hughes 0-3 (1 free), Paddy Brophy 0-3 (2 frees), Kevin Flynn 0-1, Kevin O'Callaghan 0-1, Fergal Conway 0-1, Aaron Browne 0-1, Niall O'Regan 0-1.

TEAMS
Naas: Luke Mullins; Cathal Daly, Brian Byrne, Mark Maguire; Paddy McDermott, Eoin Doyle cpt, Eoghan Prizeman; Paul McDermott, James Burke; Alex Beirne, Sean Hanafin, Jack McKevitt; Darragh Kirwan, Dermot Hanafin, Conor McCarthy Subs: Tom Browne for Jack McKevitt (54 minutes); Kevin Cummins for Dermot Hanafin (54 minutes); Eamonn Callaghan for Cathal Daly (62 minutes).

Celbridge: Shane McNamara; John Clarke, Peter McAteer, Mick O'Grady; Kevin Flynn, Mick Konstantin cpt., Liam O'Flynn; Dean O'Donoghue, Tony Archbold; Paddy Wall; Aaron Browne, Kevin O'Callaghan; Davy Hughes, Fergal Conway, Paddy Brophy. Subs: Killian Browne for Aaron Browne (37 minutes); Niall O'Regan for Paddy Wall (39 minutes); Conor Plunkett for Tony Archbold (45 minutes); Johnny Owens for Conor Plunkett (48 minutes); Aaron Browne for Davy Hughes (57 minutes).

REFEREE: Paddy McDermott.

MAIN MAN
Darragh Kirwan
A few in contention in a game that was tight and tense throughout. Alex Beirne certainly worked his socks off for the close seventy minutes and his three points were vital for the Naas cause. However, the returned Darragh Kirwan, starting his first game since Kildare lost to Monaghan last June got the nod from the local media., Kirwan scored 1-2 when introduced at half-time against Clane and on Sunday followed that up with four excellent and very valuable points from play, two in each half, to get the award.

TURNING POINT
Naas best patch came mid-way through the opening half when building up a five point lead; a lead they held for the rest of the game.

TALKING POINT
Celbridge tactic of allowing Naas to carry the ball into their half time and time again only helped to give Naas the confidence and the possession to kick-on.

WHAT NOW?
Naas take on Meath's Summerhill in Leinster Club quarter-final in two weeks.