Adare score victory over Ballybrown in Limerick senior hurling championship:

Adare score victory over Ballybrown in Limerick senior hurling championship:

By Cormac Thompson Limerick Leader Sport

ADARE have registered their first victory of the 2024 Bon Secours Limerick senior hurling championship campaign after defeating Ballybrown 3-22 to 2-17 in Round 4 in Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale on Friday evening.

Ballybrown, who were warm favourites to extend their unbeaten run to four games before throw-in, tormented the Adare middle spine in the opening ten minutes.

A pair of fantastic Aidan O’Connor efforts and long range points from Ross Kenny and Leigh Doolin preceded a brilliant team goal that was created by an O’Connor dummy and finished by his namesake Luke.

A hat-trick of Declan Hannon points is all Adare could offer in response as they suddenly fell 1-8 to 0-3 behind.

Limerick senior hurling captain Hannon then pounced on a loose ball to rifle his shot past an on-rushing defender and into the net to re-ignite his side’s challenge.

A long range Darragh Gleeson effort and a Hannon free were matched by a similar combination of scores from O’Connor and Leigh Doolin.

A David O’Mahony point from a quickly taken free and yet another placed ball effort from Hannon had the sides level at the break, Adare 1-11 Ballybrown 1-11

Adare couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second period as they fed Brendan O’Connor with a high ball and he spun and rocketed the sliotar into the bottom left corner.
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Luke O’Connor responded with a goal two minutes later for Ballybrown. Back came Adare and the Hannon brothers combined to create the opening before John Fitzgibbon found the net for his side’s third goal and perhaps the game’s defining score.

Andrew Cliffe responded for Ballybrown, but a pair of Hannon scores and one from Ronan Connolly made the Ballybrown task even greater.

However, a pair of Aidan O’Connor pointed frees and a Conor Coughlan effort reduced the deficit to five points with ten minutes remaining.

Ben Adams came close to netting for Ballybrown, but a brace of late John Fitzgibbon pointed frees saw Adare safely home on a scoreline of Adare 3-22, Ballybrown 2-17.

SCORERS: Adare: Declan Hannon 1-11( 0-5 frees) John Fitzgibbon 1-4 (0-4 frees), Brendan O’Connor 1-0, Darragh Gleeson, David O’Mahony, Shane Gleeson, Sam Hickey, Ronan Connolly, Mike Mackey, Jody Hannon 0-1 each. Ballybrown: Luke O’Connor 2-1, Aidan O’Connor 0-8 (0-5frees), Leigh Doolin 0-4, Ross Kenny 0-2, Andrew Cliffe, Colin Coughlan 0-1 each.