Kildare GAA: Naas too strong for Maynooth in Minor 'A' Championship semi-final

Manguard Plus Minor A Football Championship

Naas 2-13

Maynooth 1-5

Naas have booked their place in this year’s Minor A Football Championship final following their victory over Maynooth.
The win carries on the rich vein of form that seems to be present throughout Naas in all ages, sports and disciplines at the moment.

Naas wanted to put this to bed early and started this game on absolute fire. After winning early possession, the ball was quickly worked into Naas corner-forward Tom Kelly who slotted his effort between the posts.

The positive early signs were far from over for the boys in blue as Elliot Beirne followed Kelly’s score with one of his own. Two points is no big deal just yet, but when Ryan Sinkey burst clear and popped over a third that was quickly followed by another from Beirne you began to wonder if these lads were capable of kicking a wide.
Maynooth must have been shell shocked, they hadn’t done much fundamentally wrong but they were trailing by four in just three minutes.

The five minute mark brought about Maynooth’s first attack and with it their first wide of the evening as they struggled to break Naas down. Naas’ cooling of their rampant attack meant Maynooth could attempt to find their feet in this game.
Matthew Diamond got Maynooth’s first score as the ball was fired into the full-forward’s hands. He spun his man and fired over and upon reflection may have thought he should have aimed beneath the bar. But crucial to get one on the board after an 11 minute barren spell.

The sides would trade scores for the remainder of the half, primarily coming in the form of free-kicks.
The biggest moment in the remaining minutes came as Fintan Quinn found himself through one-on-one, but the big Naas forward dragged his effort wide of Joshua Flood’s goal.

Half-time came as the sides were still comfortably separated on the scoresheet with leaders Naas on 0-8 to Maynooth 0-3.
That score looked ominous for the trailing side but hope springs eternal and as the second half started Maynooth looked to claw their back into this game.

Naas, aware of a potentially fast second half start from the opposite side, soon put paid to those hopes of a comeback as they found the net on the 34th minute.

Charlie Murphy drove Naas forward from midfield and the Naas number eight got his head up to handpass across to Fintan Quinn. Quinn slapped home to get his goal and in truth put this game to bed.

Naas second goal wasn’t too far away either as Quinn got the assist this time around as he off-loaded to an on-rushing Ryan Sinkey. Sinkey’s green flag never looked in doubt as he approached the goal and calmly side footed past the Maynooth keeper.

Naas would close out the game to secure a final spot with relative ease. With just three to go Maynooth’s Paul O’Dea smashed a goal into the top corner off his weaker left side. A brilliant goal but far little and far too late.

Scorers: Naas, Ryan Sinkey 1-3 (0-1 Frees), Fintan Quinn 1-2 (0-1 frees), Elliot Beirne 0-3, Tom Kelly 0-2 (0-1 frees), Tom McGrane 0-1, Adam McGuire 0-1, Ethan Travers 0-1 (0-1 frees).

Maynooth, Patrick Mahoney 0-4 (0-4 frees), Paul O'Dea 1-0, Matthew Diamond 0-1.

NAAS: Hugh Morrin; Jamie McGuirke, Liam O'Reilly, Daniel Lenihan; Evan O'Briain, Robert Fitzgerald, Robert Murray; Charlie Murphy, Eoin Lawlor; Tom McGrane, Ryan Sinkey, Adam McGuire; Tom Kelly, Fintan Quinn, Elliot Beirne. Subs: Ethan Travers on for Adam McGuire (36 minutes), Liam O'Connor on for Tom McGrane (39 minutes), Killian Harrington on for Robert Murray (50 minutes), Ronan McGroary on for Elliot Beirne (50 minutes), Shane Knott on for Ryan Sinkey (56 minutes).

MAYNOOTH: Joshua Flood; Michael Chambers, Conor O'Grady, Eoin Bonass; Darren O'Loinsigh, Daniel O'Meara, Cathal Flynn; Paul Morrissey, Conor Walsh; Niall Cullen, Patrick Mahoney, Paul O'Dea; Leon Mitchell, Matthew Diamond, Cillian Geraghty. Subs: Patrick Ryan on for Matthew Diamond (41 minutes), Darragh Power on for Leon Mitchell (41 minutes), Hugh Doddy on for Eoin Bonass (47 minutes), Jack Egan on for Joshua Flood (50 minutes), Cian Gallagher on for Michael Chambers (56 minutes).

REFEREE: Niall Colgan