Naas win Kildare SFC to secure a second double in two years
KEEP BALL ALIVE: Brian Byrne of Naas in action against Brian McLoughlin of Clane during the Kildare County Senior Football Championship Final at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge, Kildare. Pic: Piaras Ă“ MĂdheach/Sportsfile
Naas are celebrating a remarkable double-double of Kildare senior titles after watching their footballers canter to glory and a 10th county title in Newbridge.
Man of the Match Paddy McDermot's stoppage time goal glossed the scoreline slightly though they were full value for the win following a commanding display.
Naas led from the opening score, a converted free from goalkeeper Luke Mullins who finished up as joint top scorer with 0-3, until full-time in wet and windy conditions at St Conleth's Park.
With the club's hurlers having already completed a memorable four-in-a-row, the footballers duly delivered by retaining the county crown.
Their reward is a Leinster club quarter-final clash with the Dublin champions and, should Kilmacud Crokes retain the capital title, then it will be a repeat of last season's provincial decider on November 5/6 which will present Naas with an opportunity for revenge.
A strong wind favoured Clane initially but they opted for a cautious, counter-attacking approach and may very well spend the winter regretting that decision.
Brian McLoughlin, an All-Ireland U-20 winner with Kildare in 2018, and Shane O'Sullivan played as a two-man inside forward line but they were starved of possession for long spells and struck just four points from play overall.
It was painful viewing for Clane supporters who craved a first senior county title since 1997.
That '97 team was honoured at half-time with former Kildare stars Eddie McCormack and Willie McCreery among their ranks.
Naas rued their inability to make their lion's share of possession count in the early stages with just five points in the opening half.
They struck as many wides in that period and dropped several point attempts short into Clane goalkeeper Cian Burke's arms.
They still possessed a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage at the interval and in a low scoring contest in wet and windy conditions, it was a significant lead.
Mullins, county man Darragh Kirwan, Tom Browne and former Kildare captain Eamonn Callaghan struck the first four points of the game.
It wasn't until the 25th minute that Clane finally broke their duck and got off the mark with O'Sullivan booming one over from distance.
Alex Beirne closed out the first-half scoring for Naas who looked forward to playing with the stiff wind in the second-half.
For Clane, who conceded the kick-outs initially, the challenge was to be far more adventurous after the break and to reel in a classy and experienced Naas side.
Clane brought McLoughlin out to the half-forward line for the second-half, switching him with Adam Fanning, and McLoughlin won a free that O'Sullivan converted.
But Dermot Hanafin became the fifth point-scorer for Naas to keep four between them, 0-6 to 0-2.
Hanafin then won a free that Mullins converted and Ciaran Doyle became the holders' seventh scorer of the day to stretch the gap out to 0-8 to 0-2.
Clane badly needed a surge of inspiration and it finally came in the form of three points in a row, the third an absolute beauty from full-back Robbie Philips.
He'd started the game as a spare defender for Clane but burst forward when the need was greatest to power over a long-range point in the 48th minute, cutting the gap back to just three points.
Now it was Naas who needed a score to settle themselves and they typically came up trumps, effectively deciding the game with three points in a row from Browne, Mullins and Beirne.
The Mullins score came from a converted 45 after a Kirwan shot was expertly touched around the post.
There was another goal chance for Naas too that substitute Sean Hanafin was unable to convert as the champions piled on the pressure and finished strongly.
Naas finally got the goal their performance deserved when McDermot burst through on the right in the 62nd minute and flashed an unstoppable shot to the Clane net.
Paddy McDermot (1-0); L Mullins (0-3, 2 frees, 1 45); A Beirne, T Browne (0-2); D Kirwan, E Callaghan (1 free), D Hanafin, C Doyle, J Cleary (0-1).
S O'Sullivan (0-4, 2 free); S McCormack, R Philips (0-1).Â
L Mullins; M Maguire, B Byrne, C Daly; T Browne, E Doyle, Paddy McDermot; A Beirne, J Burke; Paul McDermot, D Hanafin, B Kane; E Callaghan, D Kirwan, C Doyle.
S Hanafin for Burke (36); J Cleary for Paul McDermot (52); J McKevitt for Kane (53); K Cummins for C Doyle (57); E Prizeman for Browne (63).
C Burke; J Lynch, C Byrne, H O'Neill; R Philips; S McCormack, C Shanahan, T Montgomery; S Christanseen, S McCormack; C Vizzard, S Reilly, A Fanning; B McLoughlin, S O'Sullivan.
C O'Brien for Christanseen & J Burke for Vizzard (42); O Tighe for Lynch (49); S Callan for Fanning & D Egan for McCormack (60).
B Cawley (Sarsfields).
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