Naas CBS reach Bosco Cup semi-finals with exceptional second half against Meath Schools

Naas CBS 3-15

Meath Schools 1-8

After a more than competitive start to this fixture, Naas CBS dominated the second half against the amalgam Meath Schools team to reach the semi-finals of the Br Bosco Cup.

The Kildare school were second best in the opening half before reducing the Meath men to just one second half point.

Daithí Wade and Pat Crawley fired the Meath side into a two-point lead early in this game with their direct passing style opening up the Naas backline. Moments after his point, Crawley passed up a brilliant opportunity to find the net and was denied by Mark Halligan’s right foot.

Naas opened their account thanks to a Rory Thompson point in the sixth minute with no score in the game for another six.

Razor close at 0-2 to 0-1, this game then took off at a blistering pace with 1-9 score in the next eight minutes.

That glut of flag-waving began with a green one for Darragh Weldon’s goal for the Meath men when a Naas kickout landed straight into the full-forward’s lap. Weldon took a breath before confidently lobbing the now scrambling Halligan.

Naas answered sharply with a point from Euan Cowzer.

Inspired play from midfielder Cathal Barron put the Meath men five clear after 15 minutes of action. Barron fetched possession superbly before taking a couple of strides and driving over a superb two-pointer.

Naas again answered quickly with a single, this time from Jack Reilly.

Absolutely stunning back-to-back points from Pat Crawley sent the Meath side six clear and, such were the quality of the strikes, you wondered if it might be their day.

With just over 10 minutes to go to half-time, Naas CBS surged superbly to close the gap and rattled off four of the final five scores before the break.

A jinking run preceded a fine score from Matthew Galvin before Jack Reilly hit Naas’ first two-pointer with a superb effort through the windy conditions.

Two Euan Cowzer points were separated by Meath Schools’ final point of the half as they carried a 1-7 to 0-8 lead in at half-time.

Just over a minute after the restart Meath Schools got their first and what turned out to be their last point of the second half when Evan Demange knocked his close-range effort over following a stellar crossfield ball.

The turning of the tide happened almost immediately after with Naas equalising when Euan Cowzer found the net. The full-forward was being double-marked but managed to break down the right hand side of the Meath Schools backline, Cowzer shot low initially but was denied by ‘keeper Shayne Brady before clipping the rebound into the roof of the net off the deck.

Cowzer gave Naas the lead for the first time after 34 minutes of action when he fired over from close-range.

The now leading side continued forward at breakneck pace and Niall McAndrew doubled their advantage after he had galloped forward from wing-back.

Meath Schools were opened once again when Sean Tully drove at their backline and drew plenty of attention before looping a handpass to Evan Lenehan occupying the space his fellow wing-forward had created. Lenehan laced the ball low past Shayne Brady to give Naas CBS a 2-10 to 1-8 lead.

The game soon settled into a more natural rhythm after Naas’ early second half burst. After adding a point from Rory Thompson in the 42nd minute, Naas CBS put this game out of sight five minutes later with their third goal.

Euan Cowzer turned creator this time to set up Jack Reilly who took his chance with aplomb. The corner-forward drilled his foot through the back of the ball which hit the net at the near post.

Matthew Galvin, Evan Lenehan and substitute Tom Boran pointed late on for Naas CBS as they finished 3-15 to 1-8 the better of Meath Schools at full-time to progress to the Br Bosco Cup semi-finals.

Naas CBS, Euan Cowzer 1-4 (0-1 frees), Jack Reilly 1-3 (1 x 2pt), Evan Lenehan 1-1, Rory Thompson 0-2 (0-2 frees), Matthew Galvin 0-2, Niall McAndrew 0-1, Cian McKevitt 0-1, Tom Boran 0-1.

Meath Schools, Darragh Weldon 1-0, Pat Crawley 0-3, Cathal Barron 0-2 (1 x 2pt), Daithí Wade 0-1, Seán McKeown 0-1, Evan Demange 0-1.

NAAS CBS: Mark Halligan; Dan Sargent, Tom Kilmartin, Oisin O'Neill; Niall McAndrew, Cian McKevitt, Cillian Long; Jack Heneghan, Evan Cahill; Evan Lenehan, Matthew Galvin, Sean Tully; Rory Thompson, Euan Cowzer, Jack Reilly. Subs: Darragh O'Boyle for Evan Cahill (36 minutes), Rian Curran for Sean Tully (44 minutes), Fionn Stewart Byrne for Cillian Long (53 minutes), Tom Boran for Rory Thompson (55 minutes), Stephen Murphy for Jack Heneghan (57 minutes).

MEATH SCHOOLS: Shayne Brady; Shane Callaghan, Thomas Sheridan, Charlie Lynch; Adam O'Brien, Lewis Cassidy, Robbie Johnson; Cathal Barron, Evan Demange; Daithí Wade, Adam Ducie, Seán McKeown; Jake Madden, Darragh Weldon,  Pat Crawley. Subs: Callum Buckley for Seán McKeown (41 minutes), Aidan Roche for Jake Madden (41 minutes), Ciarán Sheridan for Cathal Barrow (44 minutes), Eoin Ennis for Shane Callaghan (46 minutes).

Referee: Paul Fahey (Dublin)

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