Kildare GAA: Athy get better of Naas in a cracker

Whitewater u23 A

Athy 1-12

Naas 0-6

The opening round of the Whitewater Shopping Centre U23 football championship saw Athy and Naas produce a quality game under difficult underground conditions and a strong breeze. It was the men in red who secured a one point victory to secure the two points.

Naas opted to rest most of their senior players Neil Aherne had them ahead, Sean Moore leveled before Cathal Kennedy edged Athy ahead. Luke Griffin free had them level again.

Athy went on to hit four in row. Brian Kelly, Cormac Doyle, Ben Purcell and a Luke Anderson 45. At half-time Athy led 0-11 to 1-5, the goal coming from Brendan Quin.

The second half saw Athy open with points from Cathal Kennedy and Brian Kelly to move five ahead.
Sean Hanafin pointed for Naas before Brian Stynes reduced it to three after a great run from centre back.
The closing quarter began with Naas in the ascendancy and Naas reduce the gap to a single point.

Both teams hit two points each in the closing stages.Brian Kelly with two frees and a free each from Luke Griffin and Kevin Cummins kept the minimum between the sides but Naas could never regain parity.

ATHY: Matthew Anderson 0-1 (1 '45), Luke Bracken,Jerry Considine, Niall McEvoy, Shane Jackman, James McGrath, Sean Birch, Oisin O Rourke, Conor Doyle 0-2, Cillian Horan,Ben Purcell 0-2, Sean Moore 0-3, Cathal Kennedy 0-2, Paudi Behan,Brian Kelly 0-5 (4 frees). Subs: Jamie Griffin 0-1 for Paudi Behan 10; Cormac Byrne for Cillian Horan 41.

NAAS: David Morrissey, Tim Ryan, Eoghan Prizeman, Conor Duff, Nick Sweeney, Brian Stynes 0-1, Paddy Kelly, Eoin Archbold 0-1 (1 free), Sean Hanifin 0-1, Joe Morrin,Kevin Cummins 0-1 (1 free), Billy Byrne, Luke Griffin 0-7 (6 frees), Brendan Quinn 1-0,Neil Aherne 0-1. Subs: David Lynch for Joe Morrin 10; Eamonn Dunne for Padfy Kelly 37; Ciaran Duff for Tim Ryan 48.

Referee Fergal Barry.