Leinster Club SHC: Kildare champs Naas dig deep to advance to semi-final
The Kildare champions' excellent second half sees off Mount Leinster Rangers
Naas booked their place in the semi-final of the AIB Leinster Club Hurling Championship following a nail-biting three point over Mount Leinster Rangers at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow this afternoon.
Naas looked to be on their way, Rangers reduced to 14 following a second yellow for Chris Nolan 46 minutes, until the home side rocked them with a goal from Kevin McDonald in the 57th minute to reduce the gap to a single point.
However, it was the Kildare side who kicked on with points from Jack Sheridan and Simon Leacy to get over the line on a final score line of Naas 2-17 Mount Leinster Rangers 1-17.
Sheridan was once again the star man for the Kildare champions, hitting an impressive 1-8 while Simon Leacy was not too far behind with four points, and three vital ones in the second half.
After a very sluggish start, Naas were no doubt happy to go in at the break level 0-11 to 1-8 after Mount Leinster Rangers had the better of the early exchanges opening a four point lead, 0-6 to 0-2, after 16 minutes.
Slowly Naas cut into that lead with Jack Sheridan leading the charge, but it was Sheridan no. 2 (Charlie) who got the vital score of the half finishing to the net after being put through by Simon Leacy to take the lead by a point for the first time.
The home side soon levelled and two points from each left the half-time score reading Mount Leinster Rangers 0-11 Naas 1-8.
Scorers: Naas, Jack Sheridan 1-8 (4 frees), Charlie Sheridan 1-0, Simon Leacy 0-4, Ferran O'Sullivan 0-1, Brian Byrne 0-2, Killian Harrington 0-1, Cian Boran 0-1.
Mount Leinster Rangers, Kevin McDonald 1-4 (3 frees, s/line), Chris Nolan 0-7 (3 frees, 65), Jon Nolan 0-3, Ruairí Murphy 0-1, Fiachra Fitzpatrick 0-1, Donagh Murphy 0-1,
NAAS: Cormac Gallagher; Liam O'Reilly, Ross Kelly, Harry Carroll; Daire Guerin, Ross Kelly, Peter O'Donoghue; Simon Leacy, Evan O Brian; Killian Harrington, Brian Byrne cpt, Cathal Dowling; Charlie Sheridan, Ferran O'Sullivan, Jack Sheridan. Subs: Cian Boran for Ferran O'Sullivan (38 minutes).
MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS: Frank Foley; Michael Doyle, Michael Joyce, Sean Joyce; Richard Coady, Kevin McDonald cpt., Evan Kealy; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Conaill Fitzpatrick; Ruarií Murphy, Jon Nolan, Donagh Murphy; Ted Joyce, Diarmuid Byrne, Chris Nolan. Subs: Tim Brennan for Richard Coady (34 minutes); Dean Tobin for Diarmuid Byrne (53 minutes); Paul Coady for Ted Joyce (55 minutes).
REFEREE: Eamonn Furlong, Wexford.