Naas CBS 0-11

Moate CS 0-9

Kevin Egan reports from Laois Hire O’Moore Park

NAAS CBS ARE Leinster schools football champions for the fourth time in the last five campaigns, after they held off a late surge from Moate Community School to secure a narrow victory at the end of a tense and exciting encounter in Portlaoise this afternoon.

With just two starters from the side that won last year’s Leinster and All-Ireland schools titles, it was a new-look Naas CBS side that took to the field this year, but with one current Kildare U20 footballer, one current Wicklow U20 player, and eight former Kildare minors in their ranks, they were still hotly-tipped to overcome a Moate side that was unfancied at the start of the year, but who gathered serious momentum during the knockout stages.

The Midlanders certainly carried that momentum into the first quarter of this tie, as a brace of frees and a well-taken point from Conor Fox helped them into an 0-3 to 0-1 lead. However, Naas CBS began to get their rhythm going from that stage, and they took control of the tie with some outstanding defensive work from players like Eoin Lawlor and Cian Boran, as well as patient and accurate possession football up front that carved out good scoring chances.

Inside forwards Stephen Kelly and Callum Barrett found the target with a couple of points each, while Tom Kelly and Ryan Sinkey both fired over excellent kicks from intermediate range to push them 0-8 to 0-4 ahead at half-time.

David O’Reilly, Donal Shirley and Adam Daly were all working hard to win ball at midfield and O’Reilly’s incredible fielding in particular helped Moate CS to stay in the game. But once Carl Lennox struck twice from a free and from play, Naas pushed their lead out to five points and looked to be completely in control.

The final 20 minutes belonged to Moate however, as they emptied themselves in a bid to find their way back into the contest. O’Reilly continued to be their talisman, but an inspirational point from Aodhán Curran and some heroic defensive turnovers saw them chip away at the lead, reducing it to one solitary point going into the last five minutes.

Goals win games however, and in this instance, Moate CS fell just short of winning because of their two goal chances that they failed to take. Ronan Murray looked like he had done enough when he took a pass and held off a defender before looping an angled shot over the head of Fintan Quinn, only to watch in agony as the ball bounced back off the post and into play.

Substitute Dean O’Neill had their other opportunity as a mis-hit shot bounced perfectly into his path, but in this instance an incredible full-length diving block from Daire Gilmartin saved Naas CBS, and ensured that they kept their noses in front right up until Ryan Sinkey’s late point on the break confirmed their win.

And with that, their passage to a Hogan Cup semi-final against the winners of Sunday’s MacRory Cup Final between Holy Trinity Cookstown and Omagh CBS.

Scorers for Naas CBS: Ryan Sinkey (1f) and Carl Lennox (2f) 0-3 each; Stephen Kelly and Callum Barrett 0-2 each; Tom Kelly 0-1.

Scorers for Moate CS: David O’Reilly 0-4 (3f); Conor Fox, Donal Shirley, Tiernan O’Donovan, Aodhán Curran and Eoin Bracken (f) 0-1 each.

Naas CBS

Fintan Quinn (Naas)

Niall Cramer (Raheens), Charlie Murphy (Naas), Cian Boran (Eadestown);

Daniel Hamill (Raheens), Eoin Lawlor (Naas), Evan Ó Bríain (Naas);

Austin Brennan (Blessington), Tom Kelly (Naas)

Fionn McCarthy (Raheens), Carl Lennox (Kill), Ryan Sinkey (Naas)

Stephen Kelly (Sallins), Evan Gilmartin (Raheens), Callum Barrett (Ballymore Eustace).

Subs

Jamie McGuirk (Naas) for Murphy (26)

Daire Gilmartin (Raheens) for E Gilmartin (34)

Cian O’Reilly (Raheens) for McCarthy (48)

Finn Ryan (Kill) for Barrett (56).

Moate CS

James Mitchell (Moate All Whites)

Tom Gorman (MAW), Adam Keane (Rosemount), Cathal Guinan (Ballycumber);

Donal Shirley (Tubber), Adam Daly (Ballycumber), Aodhan Curran (MAW);

David O’Reilly (Rosemount), Daragh Lowry (MAW);

Conaire Martin (Ballymore), Eoin Bracken (MAW), Padraig McLoughlin (Tubber);

Tiernan O’Donovan (Caulry), Conor Fox (Tubber), Ronan Murray (MAW).

Sub

Dean O’Neill for Martin (46).

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).

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