Kildare GAA: Raheens hit top form to capture Minor title over Naas

Manguard Plus Minor Football Championship 'A' final

Raheens 4-9

Naas 0-11

Raheens are the Manguard Plus Minor A champions after a convincing win over near neighbours Naas on a day that wasn't conducive to the free-flowing game we had envisaged from previous meetings.

The manner of the ten point victory won't worry the Caragh men as they bridged a 50 year gap between titles.
This Minor A Football Championship final promised so much as Raheens and Naas came together for the umpteenth final against each other, going back to when Raheens won the U14 Feile final.

On what was a horrible day for football played in heavy rain with a strong crossfield breeze it was the physically imposing Raheens team who settled best and had built up a seven point lead at the interval.

Midfielder and Man of the Match Fionn Cooke was instrumental in everything good that Raheens produced in that opening half.
Inside the opening two minutes Cooke got on the end of Daniel Hamill's pass to shoot low past Hugh Morrin in the Naas goal.
Naas did come to life after four minutes and two Tom Kelly frees either side of a Ryan Sinkey effort leveled the game for only time during the sixty minute.

Almost from the kickout Raheens attacked again and when Fionn Cooke picked up a lose ball inside the Naas 45 his run allowed him to set up Niall Dolan for Raheens' second goal.
Evan Gilmartin quickly added a point as the early signs were ominous for Naas.

Daniel Lenihan came to the Naas rescue after 14 when he got a block on Gavin Thompson's effort but the ever reliable Raheens keeper David Mc Partlin dispatched the 45 with ease.

McPartlin was called into action almost immediately as Ryan Sinkey bore down on goal but his low effort was well saved by the feet of the Raheens man.

Fionn Cooke and Gavin Thompson traded points with two Tom Kelly frees for Naas as half time approached
As we have seen on so many occasions in the past the dangers of a short kickout are all to evident and when Fioon Cooke intercepted Hugh Morrin's attempted clearance his run got him into the danger area, his shot was partly blocked but in like a flash was Gavin Thompson to tap home and leave Raheens 3-4 to 0-6 ahead at the half time break.

Naas faced into a stiff second half breeze and a good start was imperative if they were to have any say in this encounter.
Ryan Sinkey pointed within a minute but their bright start was shortlived and when Raheens hit 1-2 inside three minutes they moved eleven ahead and any thoughts of a Naas comeback was firmly dispelled.

Gavin Thompson and a second David McPartlin 45 coming just before Fionn Cooke's fortunate second goal.

Ryan Sinkey and three Elliott Beirne points rounded off the Naas account on a day when they never got to grips with Shane Cooke's charges.

Raheens had time for late points from the impressive Gavin Thompson and Niall Dolan and the Gilligan Cup was making the short trip across to the village of Caragh, this 50 years after the won their last minor title back in 1972, a team captained that day by Denis O'Flaherty.

Before this final Raheens had won all titles from U14 up to U17 but this victory was the icing on the cake for a serious group of players.

MAIN MAN
Fionn Cooke
There were a few contenders for the Man of the Match Award , all it has to be said were wearing the blue and gold of the winners.

Tight at the back with, once again, goalkkeeper David McPartlin steady as a rock and his two converted 45s were hit over expertly in terrible conditions. Niall Cramer, Daniel Hamill and Ciaran Kavanagh all did well; midfield was strong throughout with Fionn Cooke and Dara Crowley doing very well.

Gavin Thompson had a fine game overall but really excelled in the second half

The Man of the Match went to Fionn Cooke who took the game by the scruff of the neck from the off, hit a great opening goal after just two minutes and then being involved in goal 2 and 3 before capping his display with his second goal late on.

TURNING POINT
An early goal is always a great boost but playing against a near gale force wind in the opening half and finding the net after just two minutes was a tremendous boost, to add a second and a third before the break put the stamp of authority on the decider.

TALKING POINT
The improvement that the winners showed, especially at the back, was the foundation of the win, Naas never got to terms with the tight knit sextet that after looking vulnerable in their semi-final win over Celbridge made sure there was no repeat of that as they out-played, out-fought and out-scored a team they have had the upper hand over the last number of years.

SCORERS

Raheens: Fionn Cooke 2-1, Gavin Thompson 1-4 (2 frees, mark), Niall Doan 1-1, David McPartlin 0-2 (two 45s), Evan Gilmartin 0-1 (free).

Naas: Tom Kelly 0-4 (4 frees), Ryan Sinkey 0-3 (1 free), Elliott Beirne 0-3, Tom McGrane 0-1.

TEAMS

Raheens: David McPartlin; Niall Cramer, Ciaran Kavanagh, Jamie McLoughlin; Daniel Hamill, Darragh Cunningham, Fionn McCarthy; Fionn Cooke, Dara Crowley; Paul O'Donnell, Niall Dolan, Evan Gilmartin; Daire Gilmartin, Cian O'Reilly, Gavin Thompson. Subs: Darragh Cunningham for Paul O'Donnell (43 minutes); Rory Kenny for Cian O'Reilly (57 minutes); Oisin Cooke for Darragh Cunningham (59 minutes).

Naas: Hugh Morrin; Jamie McGuirk, Liam O'Reilly, Daniel Lenihan; Evan O'Briain, Robert Fitzgerald, Robert Murray; Charlie Murphy, Eoin Lawlor; Tom Kelly, Ethan Travers, Adam Maguire; Ryan Sinkey, Fintan Quinn, Elliott Beirne. Subs: Tom McGrane for Daniel Lenihan (17 minutes); Liam O'Connor for Ethan Travers (43 minutes); Ronan McGroary for Adam Maguire (52 minutes); Killian Harrington for Tom Kelly (57 minutes).

REFEREE: Ryan Moran.