Naas withstand gallant Sarsfields effort to retain Leader Cup

Naas 1-13

Sarsfields 0-14

At one stage in the second half this Hanlon Concrete SFL Division 1 final for the Leinster Leader Cup seemed well on its way back to Naas for the second season in a row.

Leading 0-11 to 0-6 after 41 minutes, Naas led by the biggest margin of a tight game at that stage and it looked like the current holders were well on their way to retaining the Leader Cup.

Sarsfields, however, had other ideas and hitting no less than seven of the next eight points closed the gap to a single point before the boys in blue and white settled down again holding off a very determined challenge.

During that period Naas had played with 14 players, Paul McDermott picking up a silly and needless black card and in the end were very pleased to hear the long whistle.

The game opened with a sublime point from Jack McKevitt who operated at wing forward for this one. Ben McCormack leveled up on 11 minutes after a great catch by Tadhg Hoey set him up.

Callum Bolton had The Sash supporters roaring their approval as he gave the Newbridge side the lead; Paul McDermott leveled; Karl Hartley regained the lead before Eamonn Callaghan had the sides level at 0-3 apiece on 16 minutes.

Kevin Cummins had Naas in front three minutes later before Naas had an Eamonn Callaghan goal-bound shot well blocked by the alert Tadgh Sharkey.

Barry Coffey leveled up matters once again with a free on 24 but another brilliant run from Jack McKevitt saw his cut through the Sarsfields defence before being fouled and Callaghan had Naas back in front; before McKevitt struck again, with a lovely effort from the left wing to leave two in it with the half-time whistle approaching.

A foul on Tadhg Hoey saw Barry Coffey do the needful for The Sash as referee Harris flashed out three yellow cars to Dan Nea, along with Coffey and Ailin McDermott for a bit off the ball stuff.

Back came Sarsfields and a high ball into the danger area saw the ball break to Ethan Mountaine whose effort crashed off the upright, Naas gained possession, attacked down the stand side with Eamonn Callaghan firing over to leave two between at half-time: Naas 0-7 Sarsfields 0-5.

A good, tight opening half that saw Naas with a lot of possession but that goal chance for Sarsfields could have put an entirely different complexion at the game at that point.

Sarsfields had an early goal chance cleared on the resumption before that great veteran Eamonn Callaghan extended the lead with a free.

Shane Doyle picked up a yellow for an off-ball incident with Mark Maguire before Barry Coffey limped off with an injury picked up just before half-time.

A foul on Dan Nea saw Ben McCormack, who operated on the half-back line in the first half but moved forward on the resumption, convert a free and when Shane Doyle converted another free on 37 minutes the lead was back to two points — 0-8 to 0-6.

Suddenly though Naas stepped up a few gears and with points from Callaghan (2), Sean Cullen, and Kevin Cummins the lead was quickly out to five on 41 minutes.
Jake Loakman fired over two (1 free), Ben McCormack added another and we now had a two point game.

Paul McDermott picked up that silly black card but the move of the match involving Jack McKevitt, James Burke, Sean Cullen and Eamonn Callaghan saw the latter fire low past Marc Courtney Byrne in the Sarsfields goal to push the lead out to 1-11 to 0-9 with 51 on the clock.

Sarsfields did not panic, Karl Hartley, who has been playing very well over the past few weeks, converted a free as suddenly The Sash took control and added points from Ben McCormack, a brilliant effort, Ben Loakman and David Higgins to leave the score reading Naas 1-11 Sarsfields 0-13 on 56 minutes.

Paddy McDermott eased the pressure on Naas with a point; Jake Loakman (free) reduced to one again; Callum Bolton picked up a yellow for a foul on McKevitt before a somewhat silly foul by Tadhg Hoey on Paddy McDermott, saw the Naas player helped off with Eamonn Callaghan firing the resultant free from close in as the final whistle arrived, Naas just about deservedly holding on to win on a final scoreline of Naas 1-13 Sarsfields 0-15.

SCORERS
Naas: Eamonn Callaghan 1-6 (4 frees), Jack McKevitt 0-2, Kevin Cummins 0-2, Paul McDermott 0-1, Paddy McDermott 0-1, Sean Cullen 0-1.

Sarsfields: Jake Loakman 0-3 (2 frees), Ben McCormack 0-3, Barry Coffey 0-2 (2 frees), Karl Hartley 0-2, Callum Bolton 0-1, David Higgins 0-1, Shane Doyle 0-1 (free), Ben Loakman 0-1.

TEAMS
Naas: Jack Rogers; Conor McCarthy, Brian Byrne, Mark Maguire; Paddy McDermott, Eoin Doyle, Tom Browne; James Burke, Paul McDermott; Jack McKevitt, Sean Cullen, Brian Kane; Kevin Cummins, Sean Hanafin, Eamonn Callaghan. Subs: Eoghan Prizeman for Conor McCarthy (9 minutes); Ailin McDermott for Brian Kane (tem sub 23-half time); Tim Ryan for Tom Browne (57 minutes); Paul Sullivan for Paddy McDermott (65 minutes).

Sarsfields: Marc Courtney Byrne; Tadhg Sharkey, Shea Ryan, David Higgins; Ben McCormack, Con Kavanagh, Ethan Mountaine; Tadhg Hoey, Fergal Durkan; Barry Coffey, Callum Bolton, Jake Loakman; Karl Hartley, Dan Nea, Shane Doyle. Subs: Gary White for Barry Coffey (34 minutes); Ben Scanlon for Fergal Durcan (44 minutes); Ben Loakman for Shane Doyle (44 minutes).

REFEREE: Kieran Harris.