Leinster Club SHC semi final: Na Fianna withstand late Naas fight-back to advavnce to final
Kildare champs dig deep but come up just short
Na Fianna (Dublin) booked a place in the AIB Leinster Club SHC final following a three point win over a gallant Naas side at Laois Hire O'Moore Park, Portlalise, this afternoon.
In game that Na Fianna looked the bettet side in the openning half but saw them lead at the break by just two points, 0-8 to 0-2.
A goal fright from the start of the second half from Ciaran Stacey put daylight between them but Naas hit back to reduce the lead to three.
However a second Na Fianna goal, from AJ Murphy put the Dublin champions seven ahead on 40 minutes.
Naas battled back and cut the lead to five before finishing strongly with four points on the trot to leave just a single point between them (2-12 to (0-17) on 64 minutes.
Na Fianna settled themselves and fired over the final two scores of the game to win by three Na Fianna 2-14 Naas 0-17.
Scorers: Na Fianna, Colin Currie 0-8 (7 frees), Ciaran Stacey 1-1, AJ Murphy 1-0, Sean Currie 0-2, Brian Ryan 0-1, Shane Barrett 0-1, Tom Brennan 0-1.
Naas, Jack Sheridan 0-8 (6 frees, two 65s), Simon Leacy 0-3, Brian Byrne 0-2, Cian Boran 0-1, Kevin Whelan 0-1, Kevin Aherne 0-1, Cathal Dowling 0-01,
NA FIANNA: Jonathan Tracey; Sean Burke, Conor McHugh, Diarmuid Clerkin; Paul O'Dea, Liam Rushe, Kevin Burke; Brian Ryan, Peter Feeney; John Tierney, Michael Murphy, Sean Currie; Colin Currie, AJ Murphy, Ciaran Stacey. Subs: Shane Barrett for Brian Ryan (half-time); Donal Ryan for Paul O'Dea (32 minutes); Sean Baster for John Tierney (47 minutes); Gavin King for Ciaran Slacey (55 minutes).
NAAS: Cormac Gallagher; John McKeon, Ross Kelly, Peter O'Donoghue; Harry Carroll, Sean Gainey, Kevin Whelan; Rian Boran, Simon Leacy; Conan Boran, Kevin Aherne, James Burke; Brian Byrne cpt, Jack Sheridan, Cian Boran. Subs: Ferran O'Sullivan for Kevin Whelan (blood sub 26-start of second half); Cathal Dowling for Conan Boran (43 minutes); Richie Hogan for Kevin Aherne (62 minutes).
REFEREE: Patrick Murphy, Carlow.