Kildare SFC: Defending champions Naas produce dramatic comeback

Pic: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Defending champions Naas produced a comeback for the ages in Newbridge on Sunday to see off Sarsfields and reach the Kildare SFC semi-finals. 

Trailing by six points at half-time, Naas made a good start to the second half by scoring four points in a row but just as they were getting back into the game they were reduced to 14 men when talismanic forward Darragh Kirwan was shown a second yellow card in the 38th minute.

They had further problems when Alex Beirne was black carded six minutes later but led by 39-year-old Eamonn Callaghan, who finished with seven points, they brought their scoring run to seven points in a row to lead in the 50th minute.

That lead lasted less than a minute as Con Kavanagh fired to the net to put Sarsfields back into the lead but a 58th minute penalty by teenager Kevin Cummins eventually sealed a thrilling 1-14 to 1-11 win.

Earlier in the afternoon, one of Kildare’s most famous clubs, Clane, a winner of 17 SFC titles but none since 1997, made sure of their place back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2007 after a 3-16 to 1-9 win over Eadestown. 

A 13th minute Sean Christianseen goal helped Clane into a 1-9 to 0-5 half time. Conan Bonan scored Eadestown’s goal in the 33rd minute to cut the lead back to five but Clane pushed that out to seven again by the 42nd minute. 

Eadestown had their chance to get back into the game when former Kildare man Emmet Bolton was fouled but his younger brother Cian could only put the resulting penalty over the crossbar. After that let off, Clane made sure of the win with goals from Brian McLoughlin in the 45th minute and Sean Callan in the 60th minute.

On Saturday, Celbridge qualified for their ninth successive semi-final by beating Johnstownbridge 1-9 to 0-8. A ninth minute goal by county man Fergal Conway gave them an early buffer and they were never less than three points ahead after that. 

There were still three points ahead going into injury time before a Paddy Brophy point sealed the win. While Celbridge’s record at reaching semi-finals is admirable, their record once there is poor, winning just one of the previous eight.

On Friday, Athy became the first side through to the last four when they scored three goals in the last ten minutes to beat Clogherinkoe 3-18 to 1-12.

Clogherinkoe, playing in their first ever senior quarter-final, made a good start when corner-back Mikey Barea came forward to score a goal after minutes. However, by half time they were 0-12 to 1-5 behind.

There were six points between the sides going into the last ten minutes before Athy, with their Kildare star Kevin Feely watching on from the sidelines on crutches after an operation on his achilles, finally showed their quality with goals from Sean Bride, Kieran Farrell and Mark Hyland to put a slightly flattering look on the final scoreline.

Naas will now play Celbridge in the semi-final in two weeks, while Clane face Athy.