THE HURLERS OF Naas and Slaughtneil successfully defended their county titles today.

Naas made it four senior county championships in a row by seeing off a determined challenge from Maynooth, 0-20 to 0-12, while Slaughtneil delivered a 10th consecutive title in Derry after a storming second half performance helped them beat Kevin Lynch’s 2-18 to 1-8.

Naas, winners of last season’s intermediate All-Ireland, were unbackable favourites after beating promoted club Maynooth by 27 points in the group stages in Kildare. Yet the underdogs began the decider with purpose and controlled aggression and were just three points behind at half-time.

Yet Naas assumed an unbreakable grip of the contest in the second half, despite not reaching a level of performance they have consistently achieved during recent seasons. Dual player James Burke was in impressive form from placed balls, pitching in with 10 pointed frees. Jack Sheridan grew into the game as the clock ticked down and finished with 0-3.

Naas now await the Offaly champions in November. They compete in the Leinster SHC thanks to their All-Ireland intermediate triumph last February.

Naas manager Tom Mullally won an All-Ireland intermediate title with Mount Leinster Rangers of Carlow in 2011, and two years later led them to a Leinster senior title. Naas, backboned by county players such Brian Byrne, Burke, Sheridan and Simon Leacy, have the potential to make a similar impact at this level.

The upward mobility of Kildare hurling was underscored by the spirited competition between more than 70 U8 hurlers from Naas and Maynooth during half-time at St Conleth’s Park.

Slaughtneil, meanwhile, had to battle back from a point down at half-time in the Derry final against Kevin Lynch’s.

The arrival of Brendan Rogers helped swing the tie in Slaughtneil’s favour.

A Rogers point moved Slaughtneil ahead and Jerome McGuigan’s goal increased the gap to 1-11 to 0-8.

Rogers hit a second goal to help set up an Ulster Club semi-final meeting with the Down champions in November.