Naas toast 'best times of our lives' after third Kildare title on trot

Captain Eoin Doyle salutes his side after defeating Celbridge to become the first in Kildare to win a three-in-a-row since Sarsfields in the early 1950s

HUGGING IT OUT: Naas players celebrate at the end of the game. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Kildare SFC final: NAAS 0-13 CELBRIDGE 0-11 

 “These are the best times of our lives,” said Naas captain Eoin Doyle as he collected the Dermot Bourke Cup on the steps of Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow.

His club had just become the first in Kildare to win a three-in-a-row since Sarsfields in the early 1950s and afterwards, he elaborated on his feelings, saying that he doesn’t take their current glory run for granted.

“I absolutely appreciate it and I guarantee if you ask any of the older lads who were there four years ago when we couldn’t get out of the group stages and they’d say the same.” 

The win cements the club’s place at the pinnacle of Kildare GAA and a week after their hurlers won their fifth-successive title, this was their third hurling and football double in a row.

“The younger lads, whether in hurling or football, have grown up in a winning culture and I’m sure they do appreciate it as well. Even just to get to a county final, it’s not lost on us. People were saying we weren’t playing well and not hitting our full peak but we were just so happy to get over the line and get into another county final. I’m just ecstatic right now,” he said.

On the three in a row, Doyle said it takes a lot to keep coming back to end up on top of the pile in such a competitive championship.

“It’s not just talent alone, there’s so much more that goes into it," he insisted. "It’s resilience, the hunger to keep going and then the ability. So many things have to come right to win one, never mind three. We’re just very lucky. We have a brilliant group of players who are hungry, a brilliant management team who are experienced and it just all clicked."

In a strangely subdued first half, Naas led late before the break by 0-7 to 0-2. Although Davy Hughes and Kevin O’Callaghan scored the last two points of the half for Celbridge, there was no doubt who was the happier dressing room at half time.

There was a noticeable step up in intensity in the second half and two Hughes points brought Celbridge back to within a score but Naas responded like champions and hit back with two of their own through the Hanafin brothers, Sean and Dermot.

Play was held then held up for lengthy treatment to Tony Archbold and after he left on a stretcher, his replacement Conor Plunkett was also forced off through injury without even touching the ball. Those stoppages would have a big impact later in the game as there was nine minutes added on.

When play resumed, Niall O’Regan scored with his first touch but Celbridge were frustrated when the referee held up play to show Eoin Doyle a black card in the 50th minute for a foul on John Clarke when there was a chance of a goal from a quickly taken free kick.

After two Paddy Brophy points again left just a point in it, Naas managed the time with 14 men well and ticked down the sin bin clock without further damage.

Once back to 15 men, quickfire points from Paul McDermott and Kevin Cummins in the fifth minute of injury time looked to seal the deal for Naas but Celbridge kept plugging away and Aaron Browne and Brophy scored late on and again there was just a point between the sides.

There was a hugely anxious moment for Naas in the 10th minute of injury time when Doyle gave the ball away but Naas were able to scramble back and force a turnover that led to the last point of the game for man of the match Darragh Kirwan.

As well as a hugely significant win for Naas, it was also a special moment for their manager Joe Murphy, a Carlow man who had enjoyed many great days at the same venue with his club Éire Óg and can now look forward to another Leinster campaign.

Scorers for Naas: D Kirwan 0-4, A Beirne 0-3 (1f), L Mullins 0-2 (2f), Paul McDermott, D Hanafin, S Hanafin, K Cummins 0-1 each. Scorers for Celbridge: D Hughes (1f), P Brophy (2f) 0-3 each, K O’Callaghan, F Conway, A Browne, N O’Regan, F Flynn 0-1 each.

NAAS: Luke Mullins; Mark Maguire, Comor McCarthy, Cathal Daly; Eoghan Prizeman, Eoin Doyle, Brian Byrne; Paddy McDermott, James Burke; Paul McDermott, Alex Beirne, Jack McKevitt; Darragh Kirwan, Dermot Hanafin, Sean Hanafin. Subs: Tom Browne for McKevitt (54), Kevin Cummins for D Hanafin (54), Eamonn Callaghan for Daly (60+2).

CELBRIDGE: Shane McNamara; Liam O’Flynn, John Clarke, Mick Konstantin; Dean O’Donoghue, Mick O’Grady, Peter McAteer; Kevin O’Callaghan, Paddy Wall; Kevin Flynn, Fergal Conway, Tommy Archbold; Davy Hughes, Aaron Browne, Paddy Brophy. Subs: Kiliian Browne for A Browne (37), Niall O’Regan for Wall (40), Conor Plunkett for Archbold (45 inj), Johnny Owens for Plunkett (48 inj), Aaron Browne for Hughes (57).

REFEREE: Paddy McDermott (Ellistown).