Naas hang on to taste Kildare SFC glory for first time in 31 years

Naas' Eamonn Callaghan. ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.

Naas ended their 31-year wait to be crowned Kildare senior football champions by holding off Sarsfields’ late rally this afternoon in Newbridge.

The 0-14 to 0-12 victory at St Conleth’s Park would be hard-earned for the winners in the end as they had to battle with 14 men for the closing 10 minutes of this decider.

Lining-out in the first county senior final since 1990, Naas made the dream start which saw them 0-8 to 0-1 ahead after 22 minutes.

Darragh Kirwan and 39-year-old captain Eamonn Callaghan had been very much to the fore during that period but Sarsfields came back at their opponents and trimmed the deficit down to three (0-8 to 0-5) by the break.

All in all, the trailers registered 0-5 without replay either side of half-time to cut the lead down to two ahead of Paddy McDermott’s point sparking a profitable third quarter for Naas as they went on to take a 0-12 to 0-7 lead.

Key defender Eoin Doyle went off injured and a black card for Sean Cullen left Naas hanging on for the closing 10 minutes and the 2019 champions poured on the pressure.

They had a goal ruled out before Barry Coffey’s free made it a one-point game but, as the clock ran down, Paul McDermott’s point sealed a memorable victory for Naas.