U/17 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL V CLANE

NAAS      3  -  13          CLANE     1  -  17

This was the comeback of all comebacks. Seven points behind after fourteen minutes and six behind five minutes into the second half a win looked far away. But in a hard fought second half Naas took the lead four minutes from time when substitute Eoghan Merriman slotted the ball home after a Brendan Quinn pass. Two late Brendan Quinn points to one for Clane from Dean O;Shea gave Naas a two point victory.

In truth neither team deserved to lose this game. Both gave all in a very exciting game in which the handpass was a pleasant absentee.

Naas opened the scoring with a Kevin Cummins point. Clane then took over scoring eight points with-out reply from Adam Fanning(3), Cormac Vizzard(2), Oisin Tighe(2)  and Hugh Prendergast(1)  to lead o – 8 to 0 – 1 after fourteen minutes. Naas replied with five in a row from Dan Woulfe(3) Nick Sweeney(1) and Niall Aherne(1).. After twenty minutes Clane led 0 – 8 to 0 – 6..

Clane tagged on four points before Kevin Cummins got the first of his two goals in the 29^th. minute.. Niall Aherne pointed to leave two between them. In injury time Clane replied with a goal of their own to lead by five at hthe interval 1 – 12 to 1 – 7.

Naas replied with a Kevin Cummins point followed by his second goal to reduce the arrears to two points. Two Niall Aherne points brought the sides level after fifteen minutes 2 – 10 to 1 – 13. Clane forged ahead with three points from Adam Fanning, Oisin Tighe and Dean CVomiskey.  Brendan Quinn reduced the arrears to two before Eoghan Merriman put Naas one point in front with a well taken goal with four minutes to go. Brendan Quinn and Dean O’Shea exchanged points. Quinn had the last say with his third point of the afternoon.

Scorers:: Naas: Kevin Cummins(2 – 2), Neil Aherne(0 – 4), Dan Woulfe and Brendan Quinn(0 – 3 each), Eoghan Merriman (1 – 0), Nicky Sweeney(0 – 1).

Clane: Adam Fanning (0 – 5), Oisin O’Sullivan(1 – 1), Oisin Tighe(0 – 4), Cormac Vizzard, Hugh Prendergast, Dean ‘Shea (0 – 2 each), Dean Comiskey (0 – 1)

Naas: Jack Rodgers, Conor Tilley, Conor Duff, Sean Woods, Harry Whelan, Elliot Byrne, Nicky Sweeney, Matthew Whelan, Declan Kirwan, Joe Morrin, Dan Woulfe, Mikey Lawlor, Kevin Cummins, Sean Hannafin, Neil Aherne.

Referee : Kieran Harris