Naas remain on course for hat-trick of Leinster titles
Naas CBS 1-11 Marist Athlone 1-6
Naas CBS remain firmly on course for a third Leinster senior schools crown in succession after their power and depth came to the fore in the second half of Tuesday’s semi-final clash with Marist College of Athlone in Kinnegad.
A strong wind favoured the Kildare school in the first half and while they responded well to an early goal from Stephen O’Connor to lead by 0-7 to 1-0 at the interval, it was their third quarter that was really decisive.
Drew Costello got them off the mark with a stunning long-range score into the breeze and when Simon Murphy crashed the ball to the net after picking up a breaking ball on the edge of the square, they were firmly in control.
17-year-old Ben O’Carroll tried to lead a Marist fightback as he kicked five frees, having earned three of them himself, but he didn’t have the same level of support around him in a lightweight Marist attack and they never threatened to score the second goal they badly needed.
Scorers for Naas: S Murphy 1-2, A Beirne 0-3 (1f), S Morrissey 0-2, P McDermott, S McLoughlin (f), D Costello, J Dalton 0-1 each.
Scorers for Marist: B O’Carroll 0-5fs, S O’Connor 1-0, P Garvey 0-1f.
NAAS CBS: D Morrissey; M Maguire, C Boran, E Dunne; P Kelly, A Malone, P McDermott; E Archbold, D Costello; S McLoughlin, A Beirne, N Sweeney; J Dalton, S Morrissey, S Murphy.
Subs: M McGovern for McLoughlin (HT), F O’Sullivan for Kelly (52), J Murphy for Sweeney (59).
MARIST ATHLONE: T Stephens; C Quinn, T Kelleher, B Nestor; A Carton, R Fallon, A Monaghan; S Claffey, S Reid; N Kenny, C Hand, S Baker; B O’Carroll, E McCabe, S O’Connor.
Subs: C Rushe for Kenny (40), P Garvey for McCabe (46).
Referee: Eamon O’Connor (Offaly).
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