Naas hold off resurgent Ris

Daire Walsh – 21 March 2013 10:40 AM

Kildare boys keep cool to resist Ardscoil’s late rally

NAAS CBS 2-8

ARDSCOIL RíS 2-5

SECOND-half goals from Chris Julian and Ailin McDermott were crucial in Ratoath last Thursday afternoon, as Naas CBS held off a late fightback from last year’s champions Ardscoil Rís in a cagey Leinster Post-Primary Schools Senior Football ‘B’ decider.

Having reached the All-Ireland final of this grade last year, the Griffith Avenue school were hoping to go one better but they came up against a Naas side who were determined to add to the South Leinster trophy that they had already secured this term.

The opening 15 minutes proved to be rather tentative, as both teams were looking to keep things tight, and although a well-taken point from play by centre-forward Seán Heaney did give Rís the lead three minutes in, the Dublin champions were soon pegged back courtesy of a similarly impressive Watson effort.

Opportunities

With the Naas rearguard closing down the space, it was clear that they weren’t going to cough up opportunities lightly, and as the half progressed they started to force their opponents onto the back-foot.

A brace of close-in frees from Naas full-forward John O’Brien moved his side into a two-point lead by the 20th minute, before half-forward Dean McHolmes hit a fine score from play five minutes later, which enabled the Kildare school to bring a 0-4 to 0-1 lead into the second period.

This was far from being an insurmountable deficit, however, and although Naas added to their total with a 35th-minute score by substitute Michael Stewart Byrne, a point apiece from Seamie O’Sullivan and Heaney kept Ardscoil in the reckoning with 20 minutes left to play. However, it was at this point that Naas discovered the extra gear that effectively decided the final outcome, as Julian finished to the net after David Boothman had an initial attempt saved. And when a second goal from Ailin McDermott stretched his side’s lead to eight points heading into the concluding 10 minutes, it certainly looked like they were in an unassailable position.

Ardscoil must be commended for the character they showed during the closing stages, though, as Heaney quickly cancelled out McDermott’s strike with a cool penalty following a foul on Seán ó Cuainacháin.