Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan GAA Club Notes:

U16 Hurlers Qualify for County Final as Junior hurlers bow out:
County Junior A Premier Hurling Semi Final
Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan 1-11 Knockaderry 2-15
Our Junior A Hurlers season came to an end on Sunday in the Bog Garden Rathkeale when we finally succumbed to a more seasoned and experienced Knockaderry outfit after a battling performance.
A terrible start saw us trail by seven points inside the first six minutes despite playing with the elements. Two opportunist Knockaderry goals from their first two attacks gave us a mountain to climb and ultimately proved the difference in a windy Bog Garden. To our credit we steadied the ship and chipped away at Knockaderrys lead to cut the deficit to two points at half time thanks to a fine early point from Chris Kenny along with three excellent Oisin O’Farrell points from play along with four frees from the same man. O’Farrell also got in behind the Knockaderry defence twice in the opening half only to be denied by two fine stops from the Knockaderry net minder.
O’Farrell opened the scoring in the second half with another free to reduce the gap to a solitary point. Unfortunately this was as close as we got with the Knockaderry freetaker unerring from placed balls and ABK struggling to find the target shooting in to a tricky wind. A Sean Whelan point from play and an excellent goal from substitute Jamie Dolan had the gap down to four with just four minutes remaining but the efforts of closing the early seven point deficit finally began to tell as Knockaderry tacked on the final three points to advance to this years County Junior A Premier Hurling Final.
Despite the disappointment of defeat today, 2025 can be looked back on with a good deal of satisfaction with huge strides made going from a relegation decider last year to group winners and semi finalists this season. Well done to the players and management on their efforts throughout the year. Team and scorers Cathal Guerin, Niall Barry, Matthew O’Meara, Tadgh Hanley, Evan Costello, Eoghan Grant, Alan McGrath, Matthew Keaveney, Sean Whelan 0-01, Chris Kenny 0-01, Oisin O’Farrell 0-09 7frees, Senan O’Brien, Tadgh O’Brien, Fiachra Butler, Colm O’Connell. Subs used Declan Guerin, Jack Ward, Jamie Dolan 1-00, Padhraic McMahon.

Under 16 Hurlers Advance to County Final
County Under 16 Hurling Semi Final
ABK Desmonds 3-06 Dromin Athlacca Banogue 2-03
Our under 16 hurlers booked their place in the County Final on Saturday morning in a windswept Mick Neville Park when two second half goals helped them shake off the challenge of Dromin Athlacca Banogue.
Playing with the elements in the first half we were rocked by an early goal and trailed by four points before half forward Nathan Dalton settled the nerves with a point in to the dressing room end. Lorcan Blackwell followed this up with a well taken goal minutes later before Brooklyn Delahunty smashed over his first point of the day to put us in to the lead. A Gavin Rushe free and two excellent Delahunty points had us three clear as the half time whistle loomed. A fine save from Cathal Daly denied our opponents an equalising goal as we went in at half time leading on a scoreline of 1-05 to 1-02. With the storm like gale now against us it was going to take a huge effort in the second half to get over the line.
We started the second half in determined fashion with Aaron Cregan, Danny Murphy and Gavin Rushe to the fore and Lorcan Blackwell split the posts with a fine point in to the teeth of the wind. A tonic of a goal from the energetic Todd O’Shaughnessy soon followed and we were now in control. With our backs now on top substitute Hugh Sheehy picked out danger man Brooklyn Delahunty with a lovely pass and Delahunty fired to the roof of the net to book our place in the County Final. Well done to all involved on a fine win in difficult conditions. This group now have two County finals to look forward to in the coming weeks with the footballers also in the County Shield final. Team and scorers Cathal Daly, Tom Kelly, Aaron Cregan, Donnacha O’Gorman, Danny Murphy, Gavin Rushe 0-01 free, Mark McDonagh, Darragh O’Shaughnessy, Eoin McNamara, Harry O’Toole, Todd O’Shaughnessy 1-00, Nathan Dalton 0-01, Cillian Murphy, Lorcan Blackwell 1-01, Brooklyn Delahunty 1-03.
Subs; Hugh Sheehy, Martin Meehan, Rory Moran, Tom Harty, Cian Byrnes, Peter Hoda, Paidi Ryan, Jack McDonagh.

County Junior C Hurling Championship:
Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan 1-13 Crecora/Manister 0-10
Our junior C hurlers qualified for the knockout stages with a good win over Crecora Manister in a windy Crecora on Saturday evening. Conor McNamara with a man of the match performance at half back and Finn O’Gorman with 0-07 were two noteworthy performances.
Well done to all involved. Team and scorers Roger Somers, John Fitzsimons, Cathal Moran, Luke Kelly, Conor McNamara 0-01, Rob Whelan, Sean McEnery, Zach Birdthistle, Donagh McEnery, Conor Purcell 0-01, Tom Lyng 0-02, Finn O’Gorman 0-07 (3frees), Maurice Somers 0-02, Dave Ryan 1-00, John Blackwell. Subs Rob Cuddihy, Declan Ryan, Cian Fitzgibbon, Maurice Hayes.

Fixtures:
Two big games this Saturday with our under 16 hurlers playing the County Final versus Knockaderry in Mick Neville Park time tbc and our intermediate footballers playing their final group game versus Cappagh at 2pm in Foynes.

Weekly Lotto Results:
Winning numbers 3, 12, 24, 27. Lucky dip winners
Breda Ryan, Darragh Leonard, Dominic Hayes, Matthew Keaveney. Next weeks Jackpot €5900.

Pic one
ABK Desmonds Under 16 hurling team who qualified for the County Final defeating Dromin Athlacca Banogue by six point.