Granagh-Ballingarry ease past Glenroe in Limerick premier intermediate hurling championship:

Paul Shaughnessy Limerick Leader Sport

GRANAGH Ballingarry defeated Glenroe 3-14 to 0-11 in round seven of the Limerick premier intermediate hurling championship on Saturday afternoon in Kilmallock.

The wind and rain made it difficult for any type of continuity in the game.

Last year’s intermediate county champions narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals.

Granagh-Ballingarry needed Na Piarsaigh to defeat Garryspillane to reach the last four but Garryspillane’s victory means that Garryspillane have now qualified for the semi-finals.

Na Piarsaigh’s defeat means Glenroe have now retained their premier intermediate status for 2025.

Granagh-Ballingarry started brightly and after ten minutes the victors led 2-4 to 0-0. After 40 seconds, the sliotar broke to corner forward Paudie Murphy and Murphy slotted the sliotar into the back of the net. Murphy was on target once again to put his side four points ahead on three minutes. Luke Flynn, Cathal O’Keefe and Damien O’Donovan all added further scores.

Granagh Ballingarry’s second goal arrived on 10 minutes when Paudie Murphy scored his second goal of the afternoon. It took Glenroe 13 minutes to register their first score when corner forward Darren Frewan landed a point from a difficult angle. Micheal Clancy’s side didn’t take their foot gas and centre half forward Cathal O’Keefe was tormenting the Glenroe defence. O’Keefe nailed two long range efforts to push his side 2-6 to 0-1 ahead.

Glenroe regrouped, Frewan was off the mark for the second time and captain Mark O’Connell nailed a placed ball from distance.
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Granagh-Ballingarry sharpshooter Sean O’Connor sent over a terrific sideline cut. Eoin Lynch pulled on a loose ball inside the small square to get his club’s third goal of the afternoon on 25 minutes. O’Connor kept the scoreboard ticking after that.

Mark O’Connoll ended Glenroe’s scoring drought on 30 minutes through a placed ball. Sean O’Connor replied through a free of his own in deep into injury time. Granagh Ballingarry led 3-9 to 0-4 at the break.

Glenroe manager Stephen McCarthy was awarded a red card by referee David Deady.

In the opening five minutes of the second half, Glenroe outscored their opponents 0-2 to 0-1. Mark and Brian O’Connell were both on target for the South Limerick side. Sean O’Connor put Granagh Ballinagarry back into a 14 point lead on 36 minutes. Glenroe were using the breeze to their advantage in the second half, Shaun Maloney and a free and 65 from Mark O’Connell narrowed the gap to 11 points.

The county Limerick side used all their composure and Sean O’Connor stepped up with 0-2 placed balls in-a-row. O’Connor and O’Connell swapped frees as the full time whistle approached. Mark O’Connell nailed a 65 deep into injury time as Granagh Ballingarry cruised to a 12 point victory.

Micheal Clancy will be disappointed that his side narrowlly missed out on a place in this year’s premier intermediate hurling championship semi-finals. Granagh Ballingarry can certainly take a huge amount of positives heading into the 2025 season. Glenroe will be relieved to avoid relegation to intermediate hurling for 2025.

SCORERS:
GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Paudie Murphy 2-1, Eoin Lynch 1-0, Sean O’Connor (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 sideline), Cathal O’Keefe 0-4, Damien O’Donovan and Luke Flynn 0-1 each.

GLENROE: Mark O’Connell (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-2 65’s) Darren Frewan 0-2, Shaun Maloney and Brian O’Connell 0-1 each.

GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Denis O’Connor; Eoghan Casey, John Kealy, Brian Sheehy; Ronan Mullane, Jack Cagney, Colm Noonan; Josh Mulcaire-Quille, Darragh Casey; Damien O’Donovan, Cathal O’Keeffe, Seán O’Connor; Paudie Murphy, Luke Flynn, Eoin Lynch.

SUBS: Colm Noonan for Mullane (Half-Time), Eoin Horgan for Lynch (57 minutes), Eoin Herlihy for O’Donovan 60 minutes, Sean Murphy for Mulcaire-Quille

GLENROE: Ian O’Sullivan; Patrick Holian, Jordan Sheehy, Shane O’Donoghue; Shaun Moloney, Stephen Walsh, Darren Carroll; Darren McCarthy, Brian O’Connell; Mark O’Connell, Liam Dennehy, Ciaran Kelly; Keelan Riordan, David McCarthy, Darren Frewan.

SUBS: Sean Clancy for Riordan (Half-Time), Jonathan Tallon for Carroll (53 minutes), Cian Browne for Kelly (57 minutes).

REFEREE: David Deady (Bruree).