Naas CBS make it two-from-two in Bosco Cup

Following victory over Terenure College in Round 1 last week, Naas CBS followed up with a convincing win over Marist College Athlone in Round 2 of Group 4 of the Bro Bosco Cup at a sunny Naas GAA on Thursday afternoon.

The victory was enough to ensure passage to the knockout stages of the competition against as yet to be decided Group 3 Runners up in four weeks time.

Naas might have expected a stiffer test from Marist College who reached the Final of last year’s competition where they lost out to Leinster and All Ireland champions, Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar. Nine of last year’s Marists panel were included in the panel for Thursday’s game. The Naas school dealt well with the threat of Marists Sean Whitaker and although he ended up with eight points, he was well marshalled by a very tight marking home defence.

Niall McAndrew opened the scoring for Naas CBS in the third minute but Marists responded with points from Whitker and Luke Glennon to lead for the only time in the game. In fact, they failed to score for the remainder of the half.

Hugh Kelly levelled matters in the tenth minute and strong performances from Kelly and Oisin McAfee at midfield, a running half back line and a playmaker in Robbie Millham saw Naas add 2-7 without reply until half time. JJ Reilly, with a two pointer free and a single point free, a Millham point from play and a second point from McAndrew put the Naas school in a comfortable position by the 18th minute. Millham got in for the opening goal a minute later and goal number two came seven minutes from the break when Max Sargent got on the end of a good move to finish to the net.

Naas led 2-9 to 0-2 at that break and that thirteen point margin was more or less maintained until Whitaker got in for a couple of two pointers in the closing stages of the game. Marists opened the second half with a point each from Fiachra Feeney and Daragh Murray.

While the Naas intensity might have dropped a little in the second half every time Marists pointed the Naas school responded with a point of their own to keep the score out at twelve or thirteen points. Whitaker began to assert a bit of authority as the half wore on and he fired over a couple of two pointers from play but the Naas CBS goal never looked threatened and they were able to close out the game

Scirers, Naas CBS: Robbie Millham 1-2, Niall McAndrew 0-4, JJ Reilly 0-4 (1 X 2pt free, 1 free), Max Sargent 1-0, Rory Thompson 0-3 (2 frees), Hugh Kelly 0-1.

Marist College Athlone: Sean Whitaker 0-8 (2 X 2pt), Fiachra Feeney 0-2, Daragh Murray 0-1, Luke Glennon 0-1.

NAAS CBS: Colum Gibbons (Naas); Rory Cooke (Raheens), Eoin Markey (Kill), Cathal Harris (Raheens); Fionn Stewart Byrne (Ballymore Eustace), Cillian Long (Naas), Niall McAndrew (Naas); Hugh Kelly (Kill), Oisin McAfee (Raheens); Rian Curran, Max Sargent (Eadestown), Matthew Galvin (Two Mile House); JJ Reilly (Kill), Robbie Millham (Naas), Rory Thompson (Raheens). Subs: Conor Lafferty (Kill) for Fionn Stewart Byrne, Callum Cowzer (Naas) for Rory Thompson, Ronan Walsh (Eadestown) for Cillian Long, Alan Smyth (Naas) for Cathal Harris.

MARIST COLLEGE ATHLONE: Zac Mullally; Daniel Crosbie, Ryan Hughes, Ruairi Nicholson; Donnchadh O’Dwyer, James Pettit, Eoin Carr; Sean McDonnell, Tadhg Fallon; Daragh Murray, Sean Keegan, Dara Geary; Luke Glennon, Sean Whitaker 0-8, Fiachra Feeney Subs: Jimmy Walshe for Dara Geary, Odhran Mitchell for Luke Glennon.

REFEREE: Frank Delaney (Athgarvan)