St Martin’s gamble pays off as Naas routed to set up landmark day for club

St Martin's fielded a weakened team in the Leinster IFC last week, resulting in a 32-point defeat but that gamble paid off as they beat Naas in the Leinster SHC last four. 

Rory O'Connor scored 14 points for St Martin's in his side's victory over Naas in the Leinster Club SHC semi-final. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Leinster Club SHC semi-final: St Martin's (Wexford) 0-21 Naas (Kildare) 0-11 

Vindication? You could probably call it that though Daithí Hayes wasn't exactly taking credit for the big St Martin's gamble that appeared to pay off for them.

A week after effectively waving the white flag and fielding a weakened team in the Leinster intermediate football championship - resulting in a 2-27 to 0-1 defeat - the St Martin's dual players returned in force here.

And they turned in a performance full of focus and ferocity to suggest that taking the previous weekend off was probably a decent move.

Sure, it prevented the footballers from being competitive in an important fixture but the club is now preparing for a first ever senior hurling final. And it's at Croke Park against no less a team than Shamrocks Ballyhale.

It's a final they can win too, if their performances so far against holders Na Fianna and Naas, allied to Ballyhale's patchy form, are anything to go by.

Rory O'Connor led the siege this time with 14 points while his brother, Jack, and cousin, Barry, were influential too though it was the defensive effort that really stood out with just four points from open play conceded in the hour or so.

A landmark day in the club's history and, perhaps, justification for the decision taken with the footballers?

"I wouldn't even say it's justification for that," said manager Hayes. "I suppose when we came into the dressing-room after the Na Fianna game, there were five or six lads queuing up to get physio. There were another three or four lads patching themselves up and there were three or four more literally flat out on the ground because they were spent of energy. Even the younger lads were just devoid of energy.

"We had 12 or 13 on the football team as well and we just made a decision, as a management and as a squad, which is important, that what we're going to do is rest them next weekend. To be fair, the lads that went up for the football game put in a big effort. The score wasn't great on the day but it was a real group and a real club thing.

"I think we had gone 10 or 11 weeks in a row in hurling and football and then the Na Fianna game and you just can't keep going. Our main aim in football this year was to get back senior and we've got that now.

"When you beat Na Fianna, you have to concentrate on Naas and unfortunately it wasn't ideal but it was just a decision we had to make."

St Martin's are the first Wexford team to make the Leinster senior final since Oulart-The Ballagh a decade ago.

This was only their ninth ever game in Leinster but after losing to Na Fianna in 2024, they look a more experienced and potent outfit now.

Naas were briefly tied at 0-1 apiece early on but otherwise trailed throughout. They never really got it going and Harry Carroll's red card dismissal in the 54th minute hardly mattered, the game was already up.

St Martin's led by 0-15 to 0-5 at half-time with ex-AFL player Barry O'Connor initially inspiring them and getting the better in his personal duel with Rian Boran.

Jack O'Connor's third point of the day, a sumptuous sideline chop that flew over, left them 0-9 to 0-2 up after 15 minutes. Already it felt like there was no way back for Naas who were hustled and harried and hooked into oblivion. Even in second-half stoppage time, with 11 points between them, Aaron Maddock raced back and saved his team with a last ditch block on Naas captain Brian Byrne, punching the air twice in celebration.

"It's probably a boost that Wexford hurling needed," said Hayes of the trip to Croke Park.

Although he didn't agree that the game was necessarily over at half-time.

"They nearly got in for a goal straight after half-time, if they get that it's probably a completely different game," he argued. "I think with 10 minutes gone in the second-half, we still had that 10-point lead and that was important then."

Jack Sheridan struck eight points for Naas though it told a tale of their desperation that he went for goal with a 46th minute free. It also summed up a strong St Martin's defensive effort that Joe Barrett stopped the Sheridan shot on the line and came thundering out with the sliotar.

Scorers for St Martin's: R O'Connor 0-14 (9 frees, 2 65s); Jack O'Connor 0-3 (1 sideline); D O'Leary, A Maddock, M Coleman, B O'Connor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Naas: J Sheridan 0-8 (5 frees, 2 65s); C Boran, M Purcell, B Byrne 0-1 each.

ST MARTIN'S: C Quirke; E O'Leary, C Firman, P Dempsey; D O'Leary, J Barrett, D Waters; David Codd, A Maddock; Darren Codd, J O'Connor, J Firman; M Coleman, B O'Connor, R O'Connor.

Subs: B Maddock for David Codd (30); B Stafford for Coleman (54); P O'Connor for E O'Leary (58); M Codd for D O'Leary (60); S Audsley for Darren Codd (62).

NAAS: C Gallagher; L O'Reilly, R Boran, P O'Donoghue; D Guerin, R Kelly, H Carroll; E O'Brian, S Leacy; K Harrington, C Boran, C Sheridan; J Sheridan, M Purcell, B Byrne.

Subs: R Hogan for Purcell (h/t); C Dowling for C Sheridan (45); F Maher for Harrington (53); K Whelan for O'Brian (60).

Ref: T Gleeson (Dublin).