Na Fianna Progress the the AIB Leinster Senior Hurling Final after win over Naas

NA FIANNA 2-14

NAAS 0-17

Second-half goals from Ciaran Stacey and AJ Murphy proved telling as Na Fianna edged Naas by three points in their AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final in O’Moore Park on Saturday afternoon.

In doing so, the Glasnevin side advance to their first ever senior provincial hurling final when they will make the short trip across to Croke Park next Saturday to face Kilkenny champions O’Loughlin Gaels.

They were pushed all the way however by a brave Naas side that whittled their six-point deficit down to the slimmest of margins in added time only for Na Fianna to finish on the front foot through late points by Tom Brennan and Colin Currie.

Both teams showed understandable signs of nerves in the early exchanges as Na Fianna led by 0-4 to 0-2 by the end of the first quarter with Colin Currie converting a brace of points from placed balls to augment a point by Brian Ryan.

However, Naas hit back to overtake their opponents thanks to two frees from Jack Sheridan and another score by Brian Byrne as their opponents struggled for the fluidity that was a feature of their county campaign.

Crucially, Na Fianna finished the half on the front foot with Liam Rushe a commanding presence at centre-back and a further two frees from Colin Currie and a point from play by Sean Currie helped them to a narrow 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead.

That margin was given a healthy boost in the opening minute of the second-half as Stacey was released through on goal by John Tierney, with his low finish proving too accurate for Naas goalkeeper Cormac Gallagher. 

Far from building on that advantage, Na Fianna allowed their opponents to dominate the ensuing six minutes as points by impressive midfielder Simon Leacy, Kevin Aherne and Byrne saw their deficit return to a more manageable two points.

Na Fianna bounced back by landing another serious body blow as Colin Currie raced through before finding Murphy, who left Gallagher helpless for the second time in seven minutes.

Once again, Na Fianna failed to truly build on this score as Naas refused to accept their perceived fate as Sheridan continued to chip away from placed balls while Leacy and substitute Cathal Dowling also split the uprights.

This prompted a tense and nerve-shredding finale, but Na Fianna regained their composure at a critical time and Brennan and Currie did the necessary to put the finishing touches to another historic afternoon for the St Mobhi Road side.

Scorers – Na Fianna: S Currie 0-8 (7f), C Stacey 1-1, AJ Murphy 1-0, S Currie 0-2, B Ryan, S Barrett, T Brennan 0-1 apiece. Naas: J Sheridan 0-8 (6f, 2 ‘65’), S Leacy 0-3, B Byrne 0-2, K Whelan, Cian Boran, K Aherne, C Dowling 0-1 apiece.

Na Fianna: J Tracey; D Clerkin, S Burke, C McHugh; P O’Dea, L Rushe, K Burke; B Ryan, P Feeney; J Tierney, C Currie, M Murphy; AJ Murphy, C Stacey, S Currie. Subs: S Barrett for B Ryan (half-time), D Ryan for O’Dea (34), S Baxter for Tierney (47), G King for Stacey (56), T Brennan for M Murphy (64).

Naas: C Gallagher; J McKeon, R Kelly, P O’Donoghue; H Carroll, S Gainey, K Whelan; R Boran, S Leacy; Conor Boran, Cian Boran, K Aherne; B Byrne, J Sheridan, J Burke. Subs: C Dowling for Conor Boran (44), F O’Sullivan for Gainey (55), R Hogan for Aherne (64).

Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).