Naas pull clear after slow start to win Division 1 SHL title with ease
Maynooth get off to a flyer but no stopping the champs
Maynooth hit the opening five points in this Westgrove Hotel SHL Division 1 final at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, this afternoon.
Having hit an incredible 12-24 in the semi-final, one wondered if Naas had taken their eye off the ball but those thoughts quickly evaporated when Naas hit the Maynooth with goals from Fionn Maher and Jack Sheridan going on to lead at the break 3-9 to 0-9, the third Naas goal coming from James Burke.
Maynooth did improve somewhat in the second half, Martin Quilty catching the eye while Tom Power was also prominent but there was no stopping the champions as they added 1-19 to their first half tally, Charlie Sheridan getting the fourth goal along with four second half points.
Jack Sheridan was again the main man, Darragh Kirwan showed his skills and as Naas emptied their bench it hardly mattered as they won in the end on a score line of Naas 4-28 Maynooth 0-20.
Scorers: Naas, Jack Sheridan 1-9 (7 frees, 65), Charlie Sheridan 1-4, James Burke 1-1, Fionn Maher 1-1, Conon Boran 0-3, Darragh Kirwan 0-2, Peter O’Donoghue 0-2, Michael Purcell 0-2, Rian Boran 0-1, Kevin Whelan 0-1, Richy Hogan 0-1, Oisin O’Neill 0-1.
Maynooth, Tom Power 0-7 (5 frees), Margin Quilty 0-5, Cathal McCabe 0-2, Ciaran Dunne 0-2, Luke Murnane 0-2, Kevin Dunne 0-1, Ciaran Gorman 0-1.
NAAS: Sean Burke; Richy Hogan, Rian Boran, Ross Kelly; Darrach Mac Donncha, Daire Guerin, Kevin Whelan; Conan Boran, Peter O’Donoghue; Jack Sheridan, James Burke, Daragh Kirwan; Charlie Sheridan, Cathal Dowling, Fionn Maher. Subs: John McKeon for Ross Kelly (temporary sub 1-7); Oisin O’Neill for Cathal Dowling (9 minutes); Rossa Stapleton for Darragh Mac Donncha (49 minutes); John McKeon for Ross Kelly (46 minutes); Michael Purcell for Kevin Whelan (46 minutes): Liam Walsh for Fionn Maher (53 minutes).
MAYNOOTH: Cillian Madden; Matthew Eustace, Kevin Carroll, Joseph McNulty; Cian Forde, Dan O’Meara,Cian Brody; Ronan Dunne, Luke Murnana; Ciaran Dunne, Cathal McCabe, Harry Dunne; Tom Power, Kevin Dunne, Martin Quilty. Subs: Ciaran Gorman for Kevin Dunne (40 minutes): Joseph Millett for Cathal McCabe (42 minutes); Conall Know for Cian Brody (53 minutes); Eoin Kelliher for Harry Dunne (55 minutes); Kallum Gilligan for Joseph McNulty (58 minutes).
REFEREE: Niall Colgan.