Naas CBS on the brink of All-Ireland glory for St.Patrick's day

Naas CBS campaign in the 2021 Leinster PPS 'A' Football Championship began in Tom Lawler Park, Raheens with Scoil Eoin of Dublin providing the opposition.

It was a game the 'home' side won comfortably on a final score line of Naas CBS 3-14 Scoil Eoin 0-5. And it set a marker for what was to come but having said that little did many know, or realise, on that breezy, yet sunny afternoon, that not alone were they looking at the upcoming Leinster champions but in fact at a school team that was to go on a long journey that comes to the final call this Thursday, St Patrick's Day when they take to the hallowed turf of Croke Park (2pm) and a meeting with St Brendan's of Killarney, a school with a fine tradition at this level of schools football.

It has of course been a mighty season for Kildare schools and when one considers that three of the four Leinster semi-finalists (Naas CBS, Scoil Mhuire Clane and Maynooth) came from Lilywhite Land that just go to show the strength of schools football at present in the county.

And while Naas CBS defeated a strong Maynooth side in the Leinster final they then had to face up to one of the real traditional school teams in the All-Ireland series, that of course being St Jarlath's of Tuam.

Played in Tubber, Co. Offaly on a very heavy pitch with a near gale force wind blowing straight down the pitch, yet it was the boys from Kildare, despite playing into the strong wind, opened with a goal directly from the throw-in from Niall Dolan, got a second soon after from Sean Broderick, led by three at the break before strolling to a famous victory — 3-14 to 1-4 — and when you consider the Jarlath's green flag was somewhat fortuitous, it all just points to the strength of this Naas CBS squad.
However, as manager Padraic Cribben said this week when speaking with the Leinster Leader “there are no medals handed out for winning a semi-final, at this or any level of football.”

And how right he is. Padraic, part of the Naas management senior football management that won the Kildare SFC, going on to make it to the Leinster Club final, says that while they did not know how strong a team they had initially “we did know we had the basis of a side.”

And when did he realise his squad was more than decent?
“Have to say when we won our opening game in Raheens against Scoil Eoin, we wondered between ourselves that we might, just might have something special.”

And how right he and his management team of Cormac Hughes, Eamon Fitzpatrick and Stephen O’Hanlon proved to be.
“We have a great combination of players from clubs around, not just Naas but players from Raheens, Sallins, Eadestown, Ballymore Eustace and Blessington and I feel that has given us a real strength.

“When you consider we have five county minors on our bench while our sub keeper, Jack Rogers, was the Naas senior club keeper throughout 2021/ 22 season that gives you an idea of the strength of the squad.

“Take a fella like Jack Taaffe from Raheens, he scored a goal for his club in last season's SFL Division 1 final for the Leinster Leader Cup against Sarsfields; he has come on most games and made his mark, again showing the strength in depth we have.”

The manager added that “while everyone wants to start, everyone realises that can't happen but equally everyone realises that the XV that start won't be the XV that finish and they accept it, which is brilliant.”
And what of the opposition, St Brendan's of Killarney?

“Look we know and realise if we are to win on St Patrick's Day against a school of the calibre of St Brendan's we will have to play better than we did against St Jarlath's” and added Padraic, “I felt we played very well that day, probably the best we played throughout this entire campaign but if we are to win we have to go a step further than that again.”

The Naas school master and his management saw Brendan's in their semi-final, have studied videos of them and suggest they play a similar attacking style as do Naas CBS.

“Many of these Brendan's lads will be expecting to represent their county in the years ahead and hopefully so will some of our lads, that is what it is all about, progressing from schools to representing your club and ultimately your county.”

Naas CBS as of now are injury-free, everyone available, are eager and really looking forward to another big day, a game that throws-in at 2 pm on Thursday.

Fingers crossed they can lift the famous Hogan Cup, bring an All-Ireland back to the their school and their county and indeed their province.