Naas crowned Kildare Minor A Champions after 66th-minute penalty to win

Naas 1-16

Maynooth 3-9

Naas have won the 2025 Manguard Plus Kildare Minor Football A Championship with a dramatic final win over Maynooth thanks to a penalty six minute into injury-time.

It was all Naas from early on with the champions looking the better both in and out of possession.

Liam Kenny got the game’s opening score after an extended spell of possession ended in the wing-backs hands before sailing over off of his right boot.

Naas then tripled their advantage with a two-pointer from Euan Cowzer who confidently curled over a super score.

Maynooth sought to respond but were wasteful on several occasions when looking to break down an organised Naas team.

Just past the 10-minute mark and Naas were 0-5 to no score up after further points from Cian McKevitt and Robbie Millham.

Maynooth their opening score in welcome fashion with a two-pointer from Ciarán Dunne on the quarter of an hour mark.

Naas responded instantly to their first concession with a point from Nathan Dunne after his high, looping effort fell between the posts.

Euan Cowzer extended their advantage further with a close-range free before the leaders moved six clear thanks to Dunne’s second point.

Maynooth got their third point and only second score through Tom Power who’s effort from range was tipped on its way over the bar by Mark Halligan.

Naas remained in the ascendency with their superior movement off the ball when in possession continually troubling Maynooth.

A Liam Kenny free was followed by a gorgeous Robbie Millham two-pointer from in front of the stands to send his team in with a commanding 0-11 to 0-3 lead at half-time.

Maynooth got the first score after the restart before goals for each side sprung this game into life and their super comeback surge began.

Aaron Larkin raised Maynooth’s first green flag of the day, which was quickly matched by Nathan Dunne at the other end. Dunne beat his man and fired low under the goalkeeper to make this game 1-11 to 1-4 after 37 minutes of action.

It was a slugfest at this stage and Maynooth got yet another goal just a couple of minutes later. Brian Caffrey slipped in Paddy Ryan who expertly found the bottom corner from a tight angle to reduce the gap back to four.

Creator turned scorer with Caffrey getting the game’s next two points to bring the gap back now to just two.

The gap remained at two past the hour mark as well with points being knocked over at both ends in the meantime.

Two points adrift at 1-14 to 2-9, Maynooth hit the net in dramatic fashion with a turnover high up the pitch before sharply moving the ball through the hands from Hugh Reilly to Liam McDonald to Jamie Flood who was the one to find the back of the net.

Naas, to their immense credit, broke up the field rapidly and won a free in front of the posts with Tom Power getting a black card in the fouling process. Euan Cowzer knocked over the simple but immensely pressured set-piece.

A minute later and Naas were in again when they turned the ball over and Nathan Dunne found late substitute Jack Mullins with a handpass who was then brought to the floor inside the box.

Cowzer was again the man trusted with the crucial kick and crucially, while in all likelihood aiming for the top corner, drove the ball over the bar.

The point put Naas one clear at 1-16 to 3-9, where they would finish, to become Minor A Football Champions after a breathless finale.

Naas, Nathan Dunne 1-3, Euan Cowzer 0-6 (0-1 frees, 0-1 penalty, one 2pt), Robbie Millham 0-3 (one 2pt), Liam Kenny 0-3 (0-1 frees), Cian McKevitt 0-1.

Maynooth, Brian Caffrey 0-4 (0-3 frees), Paddy Ryan 1-1 (0-1 frees), Aaron Larkin 1-0, Jamie Flood 1-0, Ciarán Dunne 0-2 (one 2pt), Tom Power 0-2.

NAAS: Mark Halligan; Nathan Dunne, Matthew O'Connor, Oisin O'Neill; Tom Kilmartin, Cillian Long, Liam Kenny; Cian McKevitt, Finlay Reilly; Mark Travers, Evan Lenihan, Niall McAndrew; Aidan McGrane, Euan Cowzer, Robbie Millham. Subs: Giles Healy for Mark Travers (43 minutes), Aaron Martin for Aidan McGrane (57 minutes), Jack Mullins for Liam Kenny (62 minutes).

MAYNOOTH: Diarmuid Flynn; Conall Knox, Harry Egan, Ciarán Ward; Brian Caffrey, Tom Power, Aaron Larkin; Oran Byrne, Liam McDonald; Hugh Reilly, Paddy Ryan, Ciarán Dunne; Cillian Price, Cillian Madden, Finn Geraghty. Subs: Jamie Flood for Cillian Price (Half-time), Jerry Molloy for Finn Geraghty (51 minutes), Fiachra Martin for Cillian Madden (66 minutes).

Referee: Paul Donnelly

READ FULL MATCH REPORT: Dominant Sallins crowned Kildare Intermediate Football Champions