Kevin Cummins the hero as Naas beat Brendan's to win first Hogan Cup
Naas CBS's Kevin Cummins is congratulated by Jack Taafe after scoring a goal
Kevin Cummins’ 2-5 contribution secured Naas CBS a historic first Hogan Cup title, this afternoon’s win avenging the school’s 2019 final defeat.
Cummins’ second goal, which arrived in the 58th minute, was the game’s decisive score, the green flag moving the Leinster champions from one to four in front as the clock edged towards the hour mark.
A Seán Broderick point thereafter stretched out their lead even further and while St Brendan’s sub Mark O’Shea found the net in the third minute of second-half stoppages, time ran out on the Sem's bid for a fifth All-Ireland crown.
All starting six Naas forwards found the target from open play, their score-taking in the second period of the highest quality.
Naas led 2-6 to 0-6 at the break, the Kildare school surging clear of their Killarney opponents when landing 1-4 without reply between the 21st and 27th minute. The sides had been level at 1-2 to 0-5 before Naas caught fire, their devastating six-minute burst shoving the Leinster champions into a seven-point advantage.
The goal was a superbly engineered score as possession was worked through the hands of midfielder Dara Crowley and centre-forward Colm Dalton, with fellow half-forward Fionn Cooke applying the finish.
A pair of points in quick succession followed thereafter from full-forward Gavin Thompson and corner-forward Kevin Cummins to all of a sudden put seven between the teams.
What will have annoyed the Sem more than the concession of 1-4 during this period was that they had a goal opportunity of their own in the minutes before Naas raised their second green flag, Killian O’Sullivan’s through ball to Mikey Moriarty coming to nothing as his shot was excellently blocked by Naas full-back Charlie Murphy.
Centre-forward Cian Foley had another Brendan’s goal chance earlier in the half, but his shot fizzed over the crossbar.
As the interval scoreline attests to, Naas were by far the more clinical when green flag openings presented themselves. Their opening goal was a mix of the speculative and superb as Kevin Cummins’ attempt flew in off the post to hand Naas a 1-2 to 0-3 lead on 11 minutes.
William Shine and Cian Foley got the Sem back level before Naas then stepped on the gas late in the first period.
A Shine goal two minutes after the restart cut the deficit in half, but the Sem’s comeback efforts were frustrated and halted by five wides in the 11 minutes after half-time.
They twice got back within the minimum of Naas in the second-half. Never level, though.
K Cummins (2-5, 0-2 frees); G Thompson (0-3, 0-1 free); F Cooke (1-0); S Broderick, N Dolan (0-2 each); D Crowley, C Dalton (0-1).
W Shine (1-5, 0-1 free); C McMahon (0-4, 0-2 frees); L Crowley, C Foley (0-3 each); M O’Shea (1-0).
D McPartlin (Raheens); C Boran (Eadestown), C Murphy (Naas), T Ryan (Naas); R Fitzgerald (Naas), F Tully (Raheens), J McKevitt (Naas); D Crowley (Raheens), D Guerin (Naas); S Broderick (Ballymore Eustace), C Dalton (Sallins), F Cooke (Raheens); K Cummins (Naas), G Thompson (Raheens), N Dolan (Raheens).
J Taaffe (Raheen) for Cooke (44); E Beirne (Naas) for Thompson (60); D Jameson (Eadestown) for Fitzgerald (61); D Lenihan (Naas) for Broderick (64)
A O’Sullivan (Legion); C Lynch (Glenflesk), D O’Callaghan (Kilcummin), H Byrne (Dr Crokes); J Kelleher (Glenflesk), T Clifford (Firies), D Fleming (Legion); L Randles (Dr Crokes), K O’Sullivan (Glenflesk); M Moriarty (Beaufort), C Foley (Kilcummin), L Crowley (Glenflesk); A Hennigan (Dr Crokes), W Shine (Legion), C McMahon (Dr Crokes).
R Colleran (Fossa) for Clifford, C Keating (Dr Crokes) for Hennigan (both HT); M O’Shea (Kilcummin) for Moriarty (38); M Mullane (Glenflesk) for Randles (55); A O’Neill (Renard) for Foley (62).
P Faloon (Down).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
