SENIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIV. 1
NAAS 4 – 7 CASTLEDERMOT 2 – 11
Naas just failed to qualify for the Leinster leader cup final finishing with 23 points one behind Sarsfields and Moorefield who will now contest the final.
Four goals up after eight minutes Naas made hard work of this their final league game. Castledermot fought hard in the second half and with the aid of two penalties converted by Aaron Roche reduced the arrears to three points with ten minutes to go. Despite a strong finish there was still two between them at the end.
Naas opened the scoring with four goals between the 4th. and 8th. minutes from Ronan Joyce(2), David Gahan and Ross Bergin (1 each). Castledermot replied with points from Gavin Keating and Gavin Farrell. Ronan Joyce pointed a free for Naas before Castledermot scored three in a row from Aaron Roche, Emmet Keeffe and Gavin Keating. Just before the interval Ronan Joyce and Emmett Keeffe swapped points to leave Naas ahead at half time 4 – 2 to 0 – 6.
Naas started strongly in the second half with points from Ross Bergin and Ronan Joyce but Castledermot replied with two penalties to reduce the lead to three points. In a closely contested last ten minutes Naas just held on for a two point victory.
Naas: Luke Mullen, Eoghan Bateman, Paul Sullivan, John Hill, Shane Bergin, Michael McDonald, Brian Byrne, Brian Kane, David Gahan(1 – 0), Conor Ferguson, Neil Farragher, Ailin McDermott, John Joyce(0 – 1),Ross Bergin(1 – 1), Ronan Joyce 2 – 5).
Castledermot: David Doyle, Ben Kelly, Thomas Murphy, Liam Cosgrave, Daniel O’Keeffe, Paraic Murphy, Barry Nolan, Bryan Nolan(0 – 1), Gavin Farrell(0 – 1), David Keating, Gary Hendy(0 – 4), Aaron Roche(2 – 1), Emmet Keeffe(0 – 2), Paddy Whelan, Gavin Keating(0 – 2).
