Impressive Naas give Shinrone a real baptism of fire

SHINRONE received a real baptism of fire in their first foray into the Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship when they were ruthlessly evicted by Naas in Newbridge on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final

Naas 4-21

Shinrone 0-18

On a day when very little went right for Shinrone and Naas were fully deserved winners, it was a real shock to the system of the Offaly champions.

They knew they were in for a tough assignment and definitely wouldn't have taken anything for granted but they could never have legislated for just how good Naas were. The level and quality of their hurling, their work rate and intensity, their ability to turn over ball and their physicality were the hallmarks of a very good side.

Shinrone won't lose a whole lot of sleep over this one over the Winter months but it was a disappointing display by them and they didn't do themselves justice. It was a pity their year ended on this note but it was still a historic one for them as they won their first ever Offaly senior hurling title and that is all that really matters for them.

Naas have made great progress in recent years, dominating Kildare but were, competing at this level for the first time and they turned in an excellent display. Shinrone were not as bad as the scoreline suggests – they fought hard, battled for a long way and were still in with a fighting chance coming up to the three quarter stage.

However, Naas's third goal from James Burke in the 43rd minute really knocked the stuffing and resistance out of Shinrone. They were a beaten docket after that, their heads dropped, their appetite for battle dwindled and they ended up a well beaten side.

It was a different Shinrone team than the one that played in the Offaly final. Full forward Ciaran Cleary was so effective as they won the Offaly title but he was gone to Melbourne and Shinrone were not the same team in his absence. They drafted Conor Doughan into the team in his place, playing him at full forward and Shinrone tried to play a similar type game with a lot of long ball in. It just didn't work as Doughan battled hard but could get no change out of the superb Ross Kelly – Doughan is a different type player than Cleary and as a unit, Shinrone's forwards did not play well enough.

They also finished with fourteen men as Michael Cleary got a 52nd minute red card for pulling across Jack Sheridan. Cleary had been one of Shinrone's best players on the day and that really cooked their goose. Sheridan pointed the free to put Naas 3-16 to 0-16 ahead and the floodgates opened late on as Shinrone knew the game was up and Naas played with the confidence of a team who knew they would win.

There was no shame in defeat for Shinrone. They came up against a very good side, playing with great confidence and intensity and it was always likely to be a difficult ask for Shinrone to get fully tuned in for this, after the sheer joy of winning their first championship. Their problems were twofold here. They conceded four goals and they did look like conceding goals at different stages all year – Kilcormac-Killoughey could have got a few in the first half of the county final and once Naas broke tackles here, they always looked capable of penetrating on goals.

Their attack were not fully on their game. Twelve of their eighteen points came from placed balls, two came from wing back Dara Maher, two came from midfield and just two came from open play in their attack. That was simply not good enough and Shinrone's forwards were not clincial or sharp enough.

Donal Morkan's free taking was excellent apart from one late miss and that was when the game was well and truly out of reach. Jason Sampson also deserved to be exonerated. He only got one point but his work rate was tremendous and he really tried to lift everyone as he played with his heart on his sleeve in the third quarter.

Darren Crean, Killian Sampson, Michael Cleary and Dara Maher all had very good moments but ultimately, it just didn't happen for Shinrone.

The game was delayed for 15 minutes because of crowd conjestion with late arrivals but it did not take Shinrone long to realise that they were in for one hell of a battle.

It quickly became clear that Naas were a very decent side with a terrific work rate and they settled the quicker. Goals from Charlie Sheridan and Kevin Aherne helped Naas to a 2-7 to 0-8 lead and having played against a stiff enough wind in the first half, they were very much in the driving seat.

Shinrone did not play bad in the first half. They worked hard and were clearly up for it but their attacks struggled to cope with the intensity of Naas's defensive play and when they did get free, thet were not clinical – they had a handful of poor wides and Donal Morkan, Paul Cleary and Adrian Cleary (2) missed particularly good chances.

Naas were very good in quickly moving the balls to men running on the shoulders and they were the better side in the first half. They were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead when the excellent Cathal Dowling set Charlie Sheridan up for an eight minute goal.

1-4 to 0-3 behind after fifteen minutes, Shinrone played their best hurling in the half in the next few minutes. K

illian Sampson got a superb sideline and Donal Morkan (free) and Sean Cleary added points as three on the trot got it back to a point.

They were, however, stunned when Naas responded with the next 1-2. The goal was again set up by Dowling with Kevin Aherne applying the finish this time for a 2-6 to 0-6 lead. Fortunately for Shinrone, it was Naas's turn to miss a few chances and the Offaly side outscored them by two points to one to trail by five at half time.

It was clear that Shinrone needed something special to happen and for a brief spell after the resumption, they threatened to get back into it. They fought with every inch of their fibre and got five of the first eight points to bring the gap down to four after 37 mminutes.

Crucially, however, Naas were able to respond every time Shinrone asked questions and they never looked like conceding a goal. Both times Shinrone got it back to four, Naas replied with the next point and then Jack Sheridan's free was followed by that clinching goal from James Burke in the 43rd minute.

The gap was nine, 3-16 to 0-16 when Jack Sheridan got Naas's fourth goal in the 54th minute, scrambling it home after his first attempt was blocked. That was that really as Naas outscored them by 0-5 to 0-2 late on for a very comprehensive and impressive win.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jack Sheridan (Naas): Jack Sheridan had a profound influence on the game. His accuracy from free helped Naas establish a foothold and he added with a late 1-1 from play to put the icing on the cake.

THE SCORERS

Naas: Jack Sheridan 1-11 (10f), Kevin Aherne 1-1, James Burke and Charlie Sheridan 1-0 each, Brian Byrne, Simon Leacy and Cathal Dowling 0-2 each, Kevin Whelan, Harry Carroll, Conan Doran (f) 0-1 each.

Shinrone: Donal Morkan 0-11 (11f), Dara Maher 0-2, Killian Sampson (sideline), Declan Cleary, Luke Watkins, Sean Cleary and Jason Sampson 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SHINRONE: Eamonn Cleary; Darren Crean, Peter Cleary, Darren O'Meara; Killian Sampson, Michael Cleary, Dara Maher; Declan Cleary, Luke Watkins; Sean Cleary, Donal Morkan, Adrian Cleary; Paul Cleary, Conor Doughan, Jason Sampson. Subs – Adam Landy for Declan Cleary (44m), DJ McLoughlin for Paul Cleary (54m), Darragh Landy for Watkins (58m),

NAAS: Cormac Gallagher; John McKeon, Ross Kelly, Peter O'Donoghue; Kevin Whelan, Rian Boran, Harry O'Carroll; Sean Gainey, Simon Leacy; Kevin Aherne, James Burke, Charlie Sheridan; Brian Byrne, Jack Sheridan, Cathal Dowling. Subs – Conan Boran for Whelan (42m), Liam Walsh for Aherne (58m), Ferran O'Sullivan for Sheridan (60m), Rian Monaghan for Byrne (60m), Conor Dowling for Burke (62m).

Referee – Caymon Flynn (Westmeath).

REFEREE WATCH

Caymon Flynn had a very good game. It was physical and played with real pace. There were a couple of brief skirmishes but he was always in control. He showed cards when needed and neither side could blame him for much.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Naas's third goal in the 43rd minute summed up Shinrone's day. It came moments after Adrian Cleary had a bad wide and James Burke's strike killed off Shinrone.

VENUE WATCH

Newbridge is a dated ground urgently in need of refurbishment but it hosted this game well. The pitch was in good order and an ample supply of stewards made sure there were no problems for the enthusiastic crowd.

TALKING POINT

It has been a fantastic year for Shinrone and there was a palpable sense of excitement among their supporters as they made their way into St Conleth's Park. It was great for the players and it was also good to see supporters from other clubs in Offaly here, even if it ended up very disapponting for them. It was, however, a different Shinrone team that took to the field with Ciaran Cleary having gone to Melbourne – Cleary was sensational at full forward as Shinrone won their first title while sub, Cillian Ryan has also gone to the Australian city.

WHAT'S NEXT

Naas play Ballyhale Shamrocks or Castletown Geoghegan in the Leinster semi-final in Croke Park on November 27.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shinrone – 10 (8 in first half); Naas – 8 (7 in first half).

Yellow cards: Shinrone – 2 (Conor Doughan and Jason Sampson); Naas – 3 (Rian Boran, Conan Boran and Kevin Aherne).

Red cards: Shinrone – 1 (Michael Cleary); Naas – 0.