Naas dig deep to book spot in Leinster decider

Naas 1-15

St Loman's 1-10

Heart stopping stuff — and for the second day in a row following Allenwood's extra time win on Saturday — saw Naas book a place in this season's AIB Leinster Club SFC final and a date with their old rivals Kilmacud Crokes of Dublin, following a dramatic extra time win over St Loman's Mullingar in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon.

It was a day not for the faint hearted, played on an understandable, very wet and heavy pitch that cut up as the game went on and with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch it turned out, as expected a game of the proverbial two halves.

The home side had the benefit of the conditions in the opening half and made fair use of it, held a three point lead at the break having caused the Kildare champions plenty to think about in that half.

It took Naas some time to get that lead back and indeed it was not until the 56 minute that they were all square and with no other score arriving we had two ten minute periods of extra time.

St Loman's Mullingar opened with two points, the first a John Heslin free followed by a fine effort from corner forward Shane Dempsey.

Indeed while Dempsey was the man scorer in that half, it was Ronan O'Toole, full forward, who was pulling the strings for the boys in maroon.

Darragh Kirwan opened for Naas with a quick-fire point and was blocked down soon after with a score looking likely.

Nine minutes in and the sides were level for the first time, this time a foul on Alex Beirne saw Kirwan fire over and four minutes later Naas took the lead for the first time after Sean Hanafin was fouled (soft free it has to be said) but Alex Beirne took full advantage.

That lead did not last long as Peter Foy hit a lovely effort off his left to tie it up at 0-3 apiece on fourteen minutes.

Naas were continuing to slow things down, content to hold possession as they attempted to ensure as little as possible would separate the sides until they got the elements in their favour in the second half.
Eoin Doyle made broke up a dangerous Loman's attack with a great tackle.

The visitors regained the lead on 18 minutes after Dermot Hanafin was fouled and Alex Beirne made no mistake and a minute later that lead was out to two after Eoin Doyle set up Darragh Kirwan who made it 0-5 to 0-3.

Kevin Regan reduced the gap, Danny McCartan leveled things up before Shane Dempsey had the home side in front on 22 minutes.

Loman's were looking very dangerous at this stage with their inside line causing a lot or problems when on the attack.
Darragh Kirwan, giving the Loman's plenty of problems, had the sides level before Naas were hit with a big blow when Shane

Dempsey gained possession outside the 20m line, ran at the Naas defence before planting the ball in the back of Luke Mullins net to make it 1-6 to 0-6 with 24 minutes on the clock.

Danny McCartan extended the lead out to four as Naas looked a little shaken and the home side could have had another major soon after when a cross field ball was punched goalwards by Sam McCartan but Luke Mullins was on hand to deny the centre forward with an excellent, and vital save.

Before the break a Dermot Hanafin point left three in it at the break, St Loman's 1-7 Naas 0-7.
Unusually Naas were first out for the restart as one of my colleagues remarked “usually they are not behind at half-time also.”

A John Heslin free extended the lead out to four within a minute of the restart but Alex Beirne replied with a top class point as the game was held up when an injury to Loman's centre half back, David Whelan, saw him forced off, replaced by Kelvin Reilly.

Heslin added another free after Ronan O'Toole was fouled but slowly but surely Naas began to get to grips with the situation.
Jack McKevitt, with a fine effort, reduced the lead while a prize on Eoghan Prizeman saw the ball being brought forward and

Eamonn Callaghan fired over; Darragh Kirwan added another on 51 minutes as Naas were now just a point adrift with 51 minutes on the clock.

It was certainly nip and tuck at this stage; Loman's under extreme pressure while Naas were doing everything in their power to get back to level terms.

A quickly taken side-line just in front of stand set up another Naas attack that ended with Darragh Kirwan forcing a save from Jason Daly and a resultant 45.

Up came Luke Mullins for his first long range effort at goal and the custodian made no mistake as he hit a beauty between the posts to leave it 1-9 to 0-12 on 56 minutes.

A short, followed by a wide from John Heslin, did nothing for Loman's as a yellow card for Loman's Maor Foirne, Kildare and Moorefield's Philie Wolfe, brought a big cheer from the Naas fans.

A foul on Darragh Kirwan handed Kevin Cummins an opportunity but the long distance free drifted left and wide as the long whistle arrived with extra time next up.

The surface was not beginning to cut up as off we went for two ten minute periods and a place in this season's Leinster final still up for grabs.

Naas opened with a ball being dropped short before Brian Byrne gained possession from a kick-out, sent the ball in high which was brilliant caught by Darragh Kirwan, behind his immediate marker and the county man carried before hitting a beauty to the bottom right hand corner of Jason Daly's net as the Naas fans were on their feet.

A brilliant start for the Kildare champs, playing with the aid of the wind in this period and two minutes Kevin Cummins found Darragh Kirwan and again he found the range to make it 1-13 to 1-9 five minutes in.

Eoin Doyle looked to be carrying a knock, a worry for Naas as John Heslin's effort failed to find the target but before the break he did manager to convert a free to leave the half time score reading Naas 1-13 St Loman's 1-10.

And so ten minutes from a place in the final, three points in the clear but now facing into the strong breeze, Naas were certainly not guaranteed a win.

Eoin Doyle had departed at this stage with the experienced Brian Kane getting a well-deserved run.
And it was that man Kirwan, mid-way through the second half that eased Naas four ahead, coming through the middle the big many punched over.

Luke Mullins kick-out ended with a throw-in after referee David Gough decided the custodian was delaying his kick-out but Brian Byrne was on hand to gain possession and his clear his lines.

A fine move involving Tom Browne, Alex Beirne and Eamonn Callaghan saw the ball failing to find the target as time was ticking by.

John Heslin hit a long range effort left and wide as Naas came forward again and this time it was Tom Browne who fired over, much to the delight of the travelling supporters with five points now separating the sides.

A 45 for Loman's was pushed out by Luke Mullins as was a second 45 as the final whistle arrived, Loman's having failed to score in the second and Naas booking their place in the Leinster Club decider, setting up a meeting with Kilmacud Crokes for the second time in three years.

Final score on another brilliant day for the Kildare champions, Naas 1-15 St Loman's Mullingar 1-10, after extra time.

SCORERS
Naas: Naas, Darragh Kirwan 1-7 (1 free), Alex Beirne 0-3 (2 frees), Dermot Hanafin 0-1, Eamonn Callaghan 0-1 (free), Jack McKevitt 0-1, Luke Mullins 0-1 (45), Tom Browne 0-1.

St Loman's Mullingar: Shane Dempsey 1-2, John Heslin 0-4 (4 frees), Danny McCartan 0-2 (mark), Peter Foy 0-1, Kevin 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, Conor McCarthy, Jack McKevitt; Darragh Kirwan, Dermot Hanafin, Sean Hanafin. Subs: Eamonn Callaghan for Paul McDermott (43 minutes); Kevin Cummins for Dermot Hanafin (43 minutes); Neil Aherne for Darragh Kirwan (blood sub 54-57). Extra time subs: Tom Browne for Eoghan Prizeman (61 minutes); Brian Kane for Eoin Doyle (68 minutes); Sean Cullen for Darragh Kirwan (80 minutes).

St Loman's: Jason Daly; Eoghan Hogan, Darragh O'Keeffe, Oisin Hogan; Jack Geoghegan, David Whelan, Enda Gaffney; Sean Flanagan, John Heslin cpt.; Peter Foy, Sam McCartan, Kevin Regan; Danny McCartan, Ronan O'Toole, Shane Dempsey. Subs: Kelvin Reilly for David Whelan (36 minutes); TJ Cox for Sean Flanagan (46 minutes); Fola Ayorinde for Kevin Regan (51 minutes); Tristan Graham for Peter Foy (58 minutes). Extra time subs: Peter Foy for Tristan Graham (74 minutes).

REFEREE; David Gough, Meath.