Adare stun Newcastle West in Limerick senior football championship semi-final:

Paul Shaughnessy Limerick Leader Sport

ADARE have defeated Newcastle West in the knockout stages of the Limerick senior football championship for the first time since 2020.

The three-time county champions were full value for their victory in Sean Finn Park on Saturday evening. Harry Glesson’s charges never trailed at any stage during this contest.

Adare were defeated in the last three county finals by Newcastle West. Newcastle West’s Iain Corbett and Ruadhan O’Connor missed this clash through injury.

Early on, both sides were struggling to break eachother down. On seven minutes, the first score arrived when Adare’s Hugh Bourke tapped over a close range free. A minute later, Paul Maher won the ball on the right wing and the Limerick footballer cut inside and extended his side’s lead.

The reigning county champions settled into the game and on 14 minutes the sides were level when Eoin Hurley and Bryan Nix were both on target.

Last year’s county finalists hit back through another Hugh Bourke placed ball. On 17 minutes, the lively Shane O’Connor was off the mark for the first time to push his club 0-4 to 0-2 ahead.

Mike McMahon was the targetman on the edge of the square for the Magpies but Newcastle West were struggling to get McMahon on the ball.

Brian O’Sullivan drove the ball long into the edge of the square and McMahon punched the ball over the gap to reduce the gap to the minimium.
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Adare won a massive turnover in the middle third and the victors went direct. The balls found it’s way to Shane O’Connor who drove the ball over the bar.

After some patient build-up play, wing back Oran Collins added a point from range. Adare began to squeeze the Newcastle West kickout and they got rewarded.

Hugh Bourke had a frustrating year with injuries but on Saturday afternoon Bourke was in impressive form. The Adare sharpshooter slotted the ball into the back of the net on 26 minutes.

In the space of a minute, Hugh Bourke turned provider when he set Shane O’Connor up for Adare’s second goal. Adare were 2-6 to 0-3 in front with three minutes remaining in the first half.

Newcastle West battled back before the break.

Emmet Rigter who was recently named on the Tailteann Cup team of year got his first score of the evening. Eoin Hurley and Michael O’Leary added scores before the break to make it 2-6 to 0-6 before the interval.

Liam Keane’s charges needed a big response in the second half. Adare wing back Davy Lyons kicked a point from under the stand in Rathkeale to push them 2-7 to 0-6 ahead.

The reigning county champions regrouped, Rigter and Eoin Hurley added frees to keep their side in the contest. Adare held their composure and worked the ball into the scoring zone. Liam McGraynor awarded a free and Hugh Bourke made no mistake from the resulting free. The lively Davy Lyons got on the end of an excellent team move on 46 minutes.

Adare failed to score from the remainder of the second half. Newcastle West threw the kitchen sink at their opponents. Mike McMahon got his second punched point of the evening. Brian O’Sullivan and Eoin Hurley made it 2-9 to 0-11.

The 2022 Munster finalists needed a goal. The ball was sent into Mike McMahon on the edge of square but the Adare full back line surrounded McMahon and Newcastle West couldn’t get the goal they desperately needed.

Adare hung on for a four point victory and they never looked like losing this contest at any stage. Harry Gleeson guided Adare to a county title in 2020.

Adare will now face Fr Casey’s or Mungret St Paul’s in the Limerick SFC Final

Adare: Hugh Bourke (1-3, 0-3 frees), Shane O’Connor 1-2, Davy Lyons 0-2, Paul Maher and Oran Collins 0-1 each

Newcastle West: Eoin Hurley (0-4,0-3 frees, 0-1 mark), Mike McMahon 0-2, Emmet Rigter (0-2, 0-1 free), Bryan Nix, Michael O’Leary and Brian O’Sullivan 0-1 each

ADARE: Jeffrey Alfred; Oran Collins, Dave Connolly, Darragh Lane; Eoghan Costelloe, Shane Doherty, Davy Lyons; Paul Maher, Joe Sweeney; Shane Costelloe, Ronan Connolly, Roy Gleeson; Hugh Bourke, Shane O’Connor, Robbie Bourke.

SUBS: Mikey Lyons for O’Connor (49 minutes), Adam Canny for S Costelloe (54 minutes), Cian Sparling for Lane (59 minutes), Mike Keane for R Bourke (62 minutes).

NEWCASTLE WEST: Mike Quilligan; Michael O’Keefffe, Darren O’Doherty, Michael Cremin; Diarmuid Kelly, Aaron Neville, Brian O’Sullivan; Sean Murphy, Emmett Rigter, Lee Woulfe, Bryan Nix, Seamus Hurley; Michael O’Leary Mike McMahon, Eoin Hurley.

SUBS: Brian Hurley for Kelly (37 minutes), Thomas Quilligan for Woulfe (44) minutes, Brian Foley for O’Leary (49 minutes), Eoin Murphy for S Murphy (50 minutes).

REFEREE: Liam McGraynor (Dromcollogher-Broadford)