Naas (Kildare) 2-15 Shelmaliers (Wexford) 1-13 (aet)
Perhaps, in hindsight, a mid-season meltdown was just what the doctor ordered for Naas.
A statement released by the club in mid-October, ahead of the Kildare semi-finals, confirmed that manager Paul Kelly had left his position and that a 'player-led management team' had been put in place which would be 'managed by Eoin Doyle for the remainder of the season'.
Two months later, the season still has plenty to run for Naas who are not just Kildare champions, for the first time since 1990, but now provincial finalists.
Gutsy doesn’t come close to describing this group who have refused to allow their season to be derailed, memorably holding firm to deny Sarsfields in the county final, overcoming Tullamore narrowly in Leinster – albeit with the aid of a bizarre late goal – and now, after hammering Blessington, sickening Shelmaliers after extra-time.
The Wexford champions, seeking to become the first club from the county to reach the final, were Scrooged by Eamonn Callaghan, the former Kildare star who, at 39, made sure there'd be little in the way of Christmas cheer around the Shels club.
Callaghan struck 0-6, including the 65th-minute point from a free that forced extra-time and he added two more points in the additional 20 minutes to help secure a January 9th final clash with Kilmacud Crokes.
Earlier, county attacker Darragh Kirwan had sniped 1-2 in normal time while substitute Dermot Hanifin Jnr, son of the former Kerry player, kicked a screamer to the Shels net at the end of extra-time to set the seal on a slightly flattering five-point Naas win.
“It was everything we thought it was going to be,” said player/manager Doyle. “Obviously we didn’t want to go to extra-time but we knew they were going to be physical, we knew they were going to run the ball, we knew they were going to keep the ball very well and they did all those things.”
On his own situation and the club’s mid-season management manoeuvres, Doyle shrugged.
“I’m just organising a bit on the outskirts of things to try to keep the train on the tracks, that’s all,” he claimed.
A dream double of provincial titles could be on the cards now for Naas.
Their hurlers are also through to a Leinster intermediate final which is scheduled for January 8th, the day before the Naas-Crokes fixture.
Shels will kick themselves for not spoiling the party because they led from the seventh minute, and Eoghan Nolan’s palmed goal, until the 59th minute, which Callaghan made it 1-10 apiece.
Naas were down to 14 players at that stage following sub Brian Stynes's 53rd-minute red ard for a late challenge on James Cash.
They trailed again in stoppage-time after a Nolan point for Shelmaliers but Callaghan, just like he’d done earlier, converted another free to force extra-time at 1-11 apiece. Restored to 15 players, they took full advantage.
NAAS: J Rodgers; E Doyle, C McCarthy, P Sullivan; T Browne, B Byrne (0-2), Paddy McDermott (0-1); J Burke, S Bergin; S Cullen (0-1), E Callaghan (0-6, four frees), B Kane (0-1); D Kirwan (1-2), Paul McDermott (0-1), L Griffin (0-1).
Subs: B Stynes for Browne (29 mins-f/t, blood), J Cleary for Bergin (h/t), C Daly for Cullen (37), D Hanifin (1-0) for Griffin (42), C Joyce for McDermott (48), J McKevitt for Sullivan (57). A McDermott (for red carded Stynes, e/t), Cullen for Joyce (82).
SHELMALIERS: C McCabe; A O'Brien, J Cash (0-1), G Staples; G Malone (0-5, five frees), S Donohue, R Banville; S Keane Carroll, A Cash; A Murphy (0-2), B Malone (0-1), J Donohue (0-1); C Hearne (0-2), P O'Leary, E Nolan (1-1).
Subs: M Power for A Cash (44 mins), E Doyle for O'Leary (49), K Roche for Power (63). C Lawlor for Murphy (67), O'Leary for Nolan (79).
Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).
