Naas CBS make light work of St Jarlath's to return to Hogan Cup decider

A general view of a Gaelic football. Pic: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

NAAS CBS 3-14 ST JARLATHS, TUAM 1-4 

Naas CBS qualified for their second consecutive Hogan Cup final by virtue of a comfortable win over St Jarlath’s, Tuam at a windswept Tubber in Offaly on Saturday afternoon.

The Kildare school were runners-up in the last competition, which hasn’t been played since 2019 due to Covid, when losing out to St Michael’s of Enniskillen and they now have another chance to become the first school from their county to lift the famous trophy.

St Jarlaths, who have won this competition more times and played in more finals than anybody else, started the game with a gale-force wind at their backs but, incredibly, were picking the ball out of their net after just 33 seconds when Niall Dolan breached their rearguard.

Naas then scored their second goal in the tenth minute when Sean Broderick finished off a flowing move, with Dolan at the heart of the build-up play.

Despite the advantages of the weather during the first-half, St Jarlaths made precious little impact in the final third, apart from a couple of points by Sean Birmingham and Conor Heneghan, until a Brian Cogger shot in the 25th minute caught in the wind and drifted over David McPartlin and into the net.

Naas led by 2-6 to 1-3 at half-time and then proceeded to show St Jarlaths how to utilise the conditions to their maximum by conceding just a point in the second period.

Sean Broderick pointed after just 25 seconds and Fionn Cooke quickly added another. By the time Gavin Thompson (2) and Kevin Cummins scored in a quick burst midway through the half, it was clear there would be no way back for the Galway side.

Having opened the scoring so early in the game, Dolan then put the seal on a very impressive win with his second goal of the game in injury-time and Naas CBS will relish the opportunity to run out at Croke Park.

NAAS CBS: D McPartlin (Raheens); T Ryan (Naas), C Murphy (Naas), C Boran (Eadestown); R Fitzgerald (Naas), F Tully (Raheens), J McKevitt (Naas); D Crowley (Raheens,0-1), D Guerin (Naas); S Broderick (Ballymore Eustace, 1-2), C Dalton (Sallins, 0-1), F Cooke (Raheens, 0-2); N Dolan (Raheens, 2-1), G Thompson (Raheens 0-4, 1f), K Cummins (Naas, 0-3, 2fs). 

Subs: J Taafe (Raheens) for Cooke (54); E Beirne (Naas) for Thompson (54); L O’Donovan (Raheens) for Dalton (54); D Jameson (Eadestown) for Boran (58); S McDonnell (Sallins) for Cummins (58).

ST JARLATHS TUAM: K Gilmore (Cortoon Shamrocks); E Brady (Corofin), B Coen (Corofin), J McHugh (Corofin); J Conneely (Corofin), R Fahy (Tuam Stars), C Davin (Kilconly); B Cogger (Corofin, 1-0), P Egan (Corofin); R Colleran (Tuam Stars), C Heneghan (Tuam Stars, 0-2, 1f), L O’Shaughnessy (Caherlistrane); L Davin (Tuam Stars), S Birmingham (Headford, 0-2, 1f), A Banks (Cortoon Shamrocks). 

Subs: R Coen (Corofin) for O’Shaughnessy, h/t; R Winston (Corofin) for R Coen, 49; T Hynes (Cortoon Shamrocks) for Colleran, 60.

REFEREE: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).