Maynooth stun Naas to reach first Kildare SFC final in 110 years
Maynooth's Neil Flynn in action for Kildare ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Maynooth are through to their first Kildare senior football championship final since 1916 after stunning Naas this afternoon.
It finished 1-15 to 0-16 after extra time at St Conleth’s Park, where Cathal McCabe’s goal seven minutes into the added periods helped Maynooth over the line to a famous victory.
Champions in five of the last six Dermot Bourke Cup competitions, Naas were hot favourites coming into this one and held a 0-6 to 0-2 advantage by the halfway stage with Paul McDermott and county forward Alex Beirne were to the fore for them.
Maynooth closed the gap within 10 minutes of the restart, sending over scores via Paddy Mahoney, Liam McDonald, Matthew Diamond and Sean Hever that got them motoring.
The sides would be level three more times ahead of the 2024 champions moving two in front again and then Mahoney’s long-range effort forcing extra time.
A Beirne point put Naas ahead in the fourth minute, however substitute McCabe hit the jackpot three minutes later and, from there, the scores of Neil Flynn, Niall O’Sullivan and Kevin O’Donovan saw out the win for Maynooth who now look forward to their first SFC final in 110 years.
They now await the winners of tomorrow's semi-final between Celbridge and Sarsfields in Newbridge (1.45pm).
