Fr Caseys secure spot in senior football final after a one-point victory over Mungret:
By Siadbh Redmond Limerick Leader Sport
FR CASEYS will return to the Irish Wire Products Ltd County Senior Football Championship final for the first time in fifteen years after defeating Mungret St Paul’s in this afternoon’s semi-final in Newcastle West.
In shocking weather conditions the Abbeyfeale men did just enough to secure the one-point victory, 0-9 to 0-8.
They will now meet Adare, who got the better of Newcastle West yesterday, in this year’s final in two weeks time.
The last time Fr Casey’s reached a senior football final was back in 2009 where they came up short to Dromcollogher-Broadford by two-points.
Despite playing against the wind in the opening half Fr Casey’s were gifted the first score of the game after three minutes with Mungret fumbling the ball in the full-back line. Martin Scannell stepped up for Caseys to pop the ball over the bar.
Mungret replied with a score of their own to level the game on six minutes with Darragh Bridgeman finding his range after missing his first opportunity at a score seconds beforehand.
The Abbeyfeale side did well against the strong wind working the ball through the hands up to the full-forward line where Adrian Enright got on the end of a pass bursting through the defence to put them ahead.
Mungret replied immediately with a fabulous left footed effort from full-forward Shane Barry. With the strong wind behind them Mugret began to build up their lead with captain John Hutton pointing three frees to leave them 0-5 to 0-2 up after 17 minutes.
Caseys Mike Kilbridge found himself on the opposite side of the field to his starting position to point a score for his side on 21 minutes, which would end up being their final score of the half.
The closing point of the half came from Mungret’s Shane Barry once again who used the wind to his advantage pointing a long range effort from outside the 45 yard line leaving them ahead at the half-time break 0-6 to 0-3.
Hutton was first to respond after the break with a pointed effort off the outside of his boot to keep Mungret up by three points.
Caseys now with the wind continued to apply the pressure though as Martin Scannell replied with a free on 31 minutes.
Adrian Enright complimented this score to leave them only one-point behind their opponents with Scannell levelling the game, seven points a piece, after 36 minutes with his first point from play.
Caseys went ahead on the next play with a composed Mark McCarthy making no mistake with his score from distance.
Mungret were under serious pressure in defence but did extremely well to not give the Abbeyfeale side any scores with multiple goal chances arising.
The city team were given a goal chance of their own after 53 minutes with substitute James Garvey’s shot hitting off the post. Caseys goalie worked extremely hard to get the ball out from his defence and away from danger.
Caseys Eliah Riordan used the wind to his advantage pointing a huge score from the sideline to put them two points ahead in the closing minutes of the contest.
Mungret were determined to remain in the game, despite the driving wind facing them with substitute Diarmaid Hynes getting his name on the score board to put them only one-point behind on the 60 minute mark.
Shane Barry had the opportunity to level the game in injury time but unfortunately he never connected with the ball properly, slicing his shot right and wide gifting Fr Caseys the one-point victory, 0-9 to 0-8.
SCORERS MUNGRET ST PAUL’S: John Hutton 0-4 (0-3 frees), Shane Barry 0-2, Darragh Bridgeman and Diarmaid Hynes 0-1 each FR CASEYS: Martin Scannell 0-4 (0-3 frees), Adrian Enright 0-2, Mike Kilbridge, Mark McCarthy and Eliah Riordan 0-1 each.
MUNGRET ST PAUL’S: Ronan McElligott, Jason Hassett, Robert Hegarty, Ciaran Uwatse, Frank Corcoran, Killian Ryan, Jack McCarthy, Darragh O’Hagan, Brian Barry, Oisin Moss, John Hutton (C), James Killian, Brendan Giltenane, Shane Barry, Darragh Bridgeman SUBS: Diarmaid Hynes for B Giletnane (Half-Time), James Garvey for F Corcoran (40 minutes), Liam Harrington for C Uwatse (40 minutes), Tom Lloyd for O Moss (45 minutes), Jack Somers for J Killian (46 minutes), Caoilte McAliden for D Bridgeman (60 minutes)
FR CASEYS: Shane O’Connell, Mike Kilbridge, Fiachra Cotter, Sran Kilbridge, Cullan Quigley, Mark McCarthy, Diarmuid Buckley, Rory O’Brien, Sam Quigley, Daniel Daly (C), Dylan Quirke, Martin Scannell, Eliah Riordan, David Ward, Adrian Enright. SUBS: Donagh Kelly for D Ward (49 minutes), Cormac Roche for D Quirke (50 minutes)
REFEREE: Timmy Mc Grath (Oola)