Na Fianna survive late Naas surge to reach decider

Na Fianna (Dublin) 2-14 Naas (Kildare) 0-17

Na Fianna will make the short journey to Croke Park next Saturday afternoon for their first ever Leinster club SHC final after holding firm in Portlaoise to advance beyond a dogged Naas.

Goals from Ciaran Stacey and AJ Murphy ultimately propelled the Mobhi Road side through to a glamour clash with Kilkenny's O'Loughlin Gaels.

But the Na Fianna players and their vocal support in the main stand at the midlands venue wiped beads of sweat from their brows at the full-time whistle following a huge finish from Naas.

The five-in-a-row Kildare champions reduced a six-point deficit with 11 minutes remaining to just one deep into stoppage time and pushed hard for an equaliser.

It never arrived though and two late Na Fianna points from substitute Tom Brennan and top scorer Colin Currie proved to be the insurance scores in a gripping finale.

The Na Fianna success story in 2023 is all the more impressive as they have been without joint captain and Dublin talisman Donal Burke for all of the campaign due to a serious hamstring injury.

The two Curries - Colin and Sean - have risen superbly to the challenge in his absence, blasting 10 points between them today, while Murphy finished with 1-01 and there was a strong showing in defence from two-time All-Star Liam Rushe who only returned to the setup in September following an extended travel break.

This was only Na Fianna's second ever provincial fixture having won the Dublin championship for the first time last month.

They beat Raharney of Westmeath in the Leinster quarter-final 13 days ago and were installed as favourites again.

They duly opened up a 0-04 to 0-02 lead at the end of the opening quarter thanks in part to two points from converted Colin