Kildare SHC Final

Naas 3-13 Coill Dubh 0-11

By Ger McNally at Manguard Park

Goals from cousins Jack Sheridan and Brian Byrne secured a fifth successive Kildare Senior Hurling title at Manguard Park for Naas, something not done in the county in more than 40 years.

Their spell of dominance shows no sign of abating after their minor team won a championship earlier in the afternoon and the age profile of their squad suggests their winning run could continue for many years to come.

A dogged Coill Dubh side made things difficult for Naas, but Byrne’s 19th minute goal after he collected a Cathal Dowling pass gave them a 1-5 to 0-4 lead.

That four point gap was still there at half time, 1-7 to 0-6 but Naas stumbled through the third quarter and hit more wides than scores through that period.

When Declan Flaherty landed two quick fire frees from inside his own half, hopes were rising within the Coill Dubh ranks that they could pull off a huge upset but two goals from Sheridan in the final ten minutes put paid to those thoughts.

Firstly, he skipped away from full back Mark Grace to collect Cian Boran’s pass and then finished with unerring accuracy. Then the telepathic understanding between the two cousins came to the fire when Byrne’s behind the back pass released Sheridan who did the rest.

It is another success for manager Tom Mullally, who has been in charge for four of the Naas championships and who also enjoyed great McDonagh Cup success with Carlow earlier this year. 

Naas attentions now turn to a Leinster Championship game against Laois side Camross next month, while their footballers till try complete a third consecutive Kildare football and hurling double next weekend.

Scorers for Naas: J Sheridan 2-8 (8fs), B Byrne 1-2, K Whelan 0-1, H Carroll 0-1, Cian Boran 0-1.

Scorers for Coill Dubh: M Delaney 0-4 (2fs, 1’65), C Carew 0-2 (1f), J Byrne 0-2 (1f), D Flaherty 0-2fs, E O’Neill 0-1.

Naas: Cormac Gallagher; John McKeon, Sean Gainey, Harry Carroll, Peter O’Donoghue, Ross Kelly, Kevin Whelan; Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Cathal Dowling, Cian Boran, Ferran O’Sullivan, Brian Byrne, Jack Sheridan, Kevin Aherne. 

Subs: Charlie Sheridan for Dowling, 53; Ciaran Tobin for O’Sullivan, 60; Liam Walsh for Cian Boran, 60+1; Rian Boran for Leacy, 60+3; Shane Ryan for Byrne, 60+4.

Coill Dubh: Owen Lenehan; Conor Gordon, Mark Grace, Fionn Moran, Jamie Kenna, Declan Flaherty, Ross Carew; Dylan Brereton, Johnny Byrne; Enda Keane, Eanna O’Neill, Mark Delaney, Oran O’Sullivan, Ryan Casey, Conor Carew. 

Subs: Tom Byrne for O’Sullivan, 26; Chris Delaney for M Delaney, 51; Sean Dunne for Moran, 57; Finn Tierney for J Byrne, 57; Keenan Brereton for C Carew, 60. 

Referee: Matthew Redmond.