Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club Notes:

First have goals vital to five point win:

West Junior A Football League/Championship Round 3
Granagh/Ballingarry……….2-10
Mountcollins…………1-8
Goals by Denis O’Connor and Jack Cagney in the 6th and 18th minute of the first half were crucial to Granagh/Ballingarry’s hard fought five-point 2-10 to 1-8 victory over gallant holders Mountcollins in Round 3 of the West Junior A Football League/Championship played in difficult wet and windy conditions in Ballingarry on Saturday and sweet revenge for last year’s five-point 2-6 to 0-7 final defeat.
Paddy Hennessy, John Joe Carmody, Eddie O’Brien and company must be complimented for having the Granagh/Ballingarry pitch in top class condition despite the heavy rain of the previous days for this rematch of last year’s West Junior A Football League/Championship final played in front of a small crowd with Paul McMahon of South Liberties in charge.
The home side Granagh/Ballingarry played with wind advantage in the opening half but it was the visitors who were first off the mark with a well taken second minute point from play courtesy of Tom McCarthy cancelled out by Seán O’Connor two minutes later for 0-1 each on four minutes. Then Granagh/Ballingarry’s No 14 Denis O’Connor, winner of an All-Ireland Junior hurling medal with Limerick Garda recently, intercepted a short kickout by the Mountcollins keeper Michael McCarthy and finished to the back of the Mountcollins net to leave the boys in black and green three ahead, 1-1 to 0-1, on six minutes with the wind at their backs.
The next 21 minutes was all Granagh/Balingarry with points courtesy of Jack Cagney (play) on eight minutes, Paudie Murphy (free) 10 minutes, Jack Cagney (play) on 14 minutes followed up by a cracking Eoin Lynch goal on 18 minutes and a trio of white flags from open play, courtesy of Jack Cagney on 22 and 25 minutes, and Denis O’Connor on 29 minutes, to leave the home side 12 ahead, 2-7 to 0-1. Then the visitors finally ended 28 minutes without a score when their No 10 landed a fine point from open play on 30 minutes to reduce the deficit to 11, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-7, Mountcollins 0-2 at the interval. The Mountcollins boys with the wind at their backs dominated the opening seven minutes after the interval with a smashing James Brouder goal and a well taken point from play by Tom McCarthy to reduce the deficit to seven, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-7, Mountcollins 1-3 on 37 minutes. Then Darragh Casey, following a good solo run, landed a fine point for the Granagh/Ballingarry boys to extend their advantage to eight on 40 minutes. The Mountcollins boys dominated the next eight minutes with a pair of white flags courtesy of Tom McCarthy from a placed ball on 44 minutes and Evan Lacey from open play four minutes later, to reduce the deficit to six, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-8, Mountcollins 1-5 on 48 minutes. Then Paudie Murphy finally ended ten minutes without a Granagh/Balingarry score when he split the uprights from a placed ball on 50 minutes to extend their advantage to seven, 2-9 to 1-5, with ten minutes of normal time remaining on the clock. Mountcollins, far from being overawed, had a trio of unanswered white flags through James Brouder from open play on 53 and 55 minutes and Tom McCarthy from a placed ball on 57 minutes to close the gap to four. Then Paudie Murphy of Granagh/Ballingarry landed his third white flag from a placed ball on 59 to extend his side’s advantage to five, Mountcollins created a couple of good scoring chances in the final couple of minutes which they failed to convert and at the final whistle, the home side Granagh/Ballingarry were five points, 2-10 to 1-8 winners of their first brace of points in the West Junior A Football League/Championship, to go third on the table on two points behind Cappagh on six and Mountcollins on four having both played three games.
The Granagh/Ballingarry boys can now look forward with confidence to the next round where they will face another stiff test against the 2022 and 2023 County Premier Junior Championship defeated finalists pointless Feenagh/Kilmeedy on this Saturday 30th March in Páirc Uí Luing, Feenagh at 5pm. Granagh/Ballingarry scored 2-7 from play and 0-3 from frees, Mountcollins scored 1-6 from play, 0-2 from frees.
Granagh/Ballingarry: David Clancy, Paudie McKenna, Niall Cahill, Brian Sheehy, Eoin Casey, Luke Flynn, Pat Carroll, Darragh Casey (0-1), Eoin Lynch (1-0), Seán O’Connor (0-1), Jack Cagney (0-4), Peter Hughes, Paudie Murphy (0-3 frees), Denis O’Connor (1-1), Gearóid Lynch. Subs used Jack Hartnett, Thomas O’Donovan, Seán Murphy and Denis Sheehy.
Mountcollins: Michael McCarthy, Mikie Mahony, Maurice O’Connor, Donagh Walsh, Timmy Begley, John O’Connell, Timothy Walsh, Jack Sheahan, Evan Lacey (0-1), Paddy Hartnett (0-1), Matthew Brouder, Conor Healy, Ronan Lacey, James Brouder (1-2), Tom McCarthy (0-4 2 frees).

One Point Win for Limerick:
Munster U20 Football Championship Phase 1 Round 2
Limerick………….2-7
Waterford………..2-6
Congratulations to the Limerick U20 footballers and their management team on their hard fought one-point 2-7 to 2-6 victory over gallant Waterford in Round 2 of Phase 1 of the Munster U20 Football Championship at Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran on Saturday afternoon to go join top of the table on 3 points with Tipperary to leave the Shannonsiders in pole position to take one of the two qualifying places on offer to qualify for phase 2 when they travel to Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran again this Saturday 30th March to play Clare in the final round robin game at 2pm.
Please support.

Limerick Surrender League Title:
National Hurling League Division 1 Semi Final
Kilkenny……….3-17
Limerick………..1-15
Four-in-a-row All Ireland senior hurling champions Limerick surrendered their National Hurling League Division 1 title when they suffered an eight point 3-17 to 1-15 semi final defeat to great rivals Kilkenny in difficult wet and windy conditions at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening. Limerick will now have to regroup ahead of their opening round of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 1 against neighbours Clare on Sunday 29th April in Cusack Park Ennis at 2pm.

Limerick Sign off on league campaign with second one-point defeat:
National Football League Division 2 Round 7
Offaly……….1-10
Limerick…………….0-12
Relegated Limerick sign off on their division 3 National Football League campaign with a second successive one-point defeat, this time to Offaly at O’Conor Park, Tullamore, with seven straight defeats. Limerick have crashed to their second successive relegation.

Another Night Out with Ower Cracker:
Granagh/Ballingarry’s nominated dog Ower Cracker finished second in Heat on 8 on Saturday night in Round 1 of the Annual Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake sponsored by JP and Noreen McManus at the Limerick Greyhound Stadium to qualify for Round 2 on this Saturday 30th April.
Complimentary admission passes to all rounds up, and including the semi-final, are now available from club secretary John Lynch on 087 2912356, the Rock Bar, Granagh and Denny A’s Bar, Ballingarry. Your support for this great event would be greatly appreciated. Gates open at 6.30pm. For information on the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake visit www.limerickgreyhoundstadium.ie

County Senior Scór Final:
12 teams took part in the Limerick County Senior Scór Question Time final at Mungret St. Paul’s GAA Clubhouse on Thursday night. The Granagh/Ballingarry team of Cormac McCarthy, Jimmy Chawke, Seamus Twomey and Pat Herlihy did very well to finish seventh after a close contest behind winners Mungret St. Pauls Banogue, Mungret Football Club, Garryspillane South Liberties and Na Piarsaigh. On Friday night in the stage competitions in solo singing Johnny O’Riordan (who first competed in Scór 50 years ago in 1974 which was acknowledged by oifigeach cultúir Veronica Callinan) sung Where Corby and Shannon Flow very well.
Thank you to our Scór officer Maura Friel Lynch, Corac, Seamus, Jimmy, Pat and Johnny for representing our club with pride in Scór 2024.

Results:
Munster U20 Football Championship Phase 1 Round 2
Limerick 2-7, Waterford 2-6; Tipperary 1-8, Clare 1-6.
National Hurling League Division 1 Semi finals
Clare 1-24, Tipperary 2-13; Kilkenny 3-17, Limerick 1-15.
West Junior A Football League Championship Round 2
Mountcollins 1-7, Athea 1-6.
West Junior A Football League/Championship Round 3
Granagh/Ballingarry 2-10, Mountcollins 1-8; Athea 2-9, Feenagh/Kilmeedy 0-3; Cappagh w.o Monagea scr.
City East South Senior Football League Round 3
Galtee Gaels 2-16, Na Piarsaigh 0-5; Oola 34-6, Monaleen 0-4.
West Senior Football League/Championship Round 3
St. Kieran’s 1-7, Ballysteen 1-4.
West Intermediate Football League/Championship Group 2 Round 3
Feohanagh/Castlemahon 2-8, St. Senan’s 1-8; Glin 3-7, Drom/Broadford 0-11.
City East Junior A Football League Round 3
Cappamore 2-12, Ballybricken Bohermore 1-7.
City East South Senior Football League Round 3
Mungret/St. Pauls 3-7, Ballylanders 1-7.
South East Junior B Football League Round 3
Oola 2-11, Knockainey 1-6.
West Junior B Football League Round 3
St. Kieran’s 0-12, Dromcollogher/Broadford 1-6.

Membership Due on Easter Sunday:
Granagh Ballingarry GAA Club membership fees for 2024 are due by this Sunday 31st March and are fixed at €100 to include membership of club draw. Bord na nÓg players €40, €70 maximum for two of more players. No family membership. Players to register online to pay fees through foireann at gaa.ie as per official guide. To train or play for the club you must be insured. If you are not yet registered, we ask you to do so by this Sunday 31st March. It is generally felt by club officers that any member or players should feel obliged to get their membership paid and we must reiterate that people who have not paid will not be covered by insurance or entitled to any privileges what so ever from our club.

Draw Promoters Hit the Streets:
Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club draw promoters are taking to the streets of the parish to canvas members to join the club draw which will be held quarterly with €2,000 in prizes. 1st prize €1,000 and ten prizes of €100 with the option to join the club weekly lottery/county club draw for €20. If you wish to renew your membership, please contact your promoter on or before Wednesday 27th March as the first draw is due to take place on Easter Monday 1st April.

First Club Limerick Draw on Saturday:
The first Limerick County GAA Club Draw for 2024 is on this Saturday 30th March. There will be monthly draws from March to December with a top prize of €10,000. There are a host of other prizes to be won 2nd €3,000, 3rd €3,000, 4th €1,000, 5th executive star prize, 6th to 9th €500, 10th to 13th €250, 14th to 30th €100. There will be again exclusive monthly prizes to be won.
Entry to the draw is just €10 per month or €100 for the ten draws with the option to join our own quarterly club draw and county club draw for €150.If you would like to renew your membership for 2024, please follow the links limerickgaa.ie/club-limerick-draw-signup and select Granagh Ballingarry GAA Club or contact club co-ordinator Stephen Stapleton on 086-19602301. Granagh/Ballingarry had 117 members in 2023 and three winners Claire Herlihy €3,000 in August, Niamh O’Keeffe and Brian Burke €300 each in September and Joanne Kelly €200 in December. Thank you to all who joined the draw through our club in 2023 and all who have already renewed their membership to date for 2024.

Feile nan Gael Roinn C Group 2:
The best of luck to the Granagh Ballingarry U15 hurlers and their management team who play Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan at 10am. Kilacolla Gaels at 11am, Knockaderry at 12 noon and Dromin/Athlacca/Banogue at 1pm in Group 2 of Roinn C in County Feile na nGael on this Sunday 30th March at Askeaton. Your support for the boys in black and green would be appreciated.

Team Limerick Clean up on Good Friday​:
The 9th edition of the longest one-day clean up in Ireland. Team Limerick clean up (TLC) set to take place on Good Friday 29th March across Limerick city and county. Founders of the Team Limerick Clean up Initiative JP McManus, Paul O’Connell, and Helen O’Donnell are urging volunteers to sign up early at www.teamlimerick/cleanup.ie and help make this the best TLC yet. This year’s participants in TLC 9 are encouraged to bring a friend and involves any new neighbours in the community to come along and join in making Limerick a cleaner and more and join in making Limerick a cleaner and more environmentally friendly county. The popular tea and coffee gatherings after the clean up will also be held in locations throughout the city and county. Last year TLC8 marked the largest participation from all walks of life ranging from schools, colleges, GAA clubs and Munster rugby to businesses, charities, nursing homes. Well known faces locally sponsored by JP. McManus Benevolent Fund and Supported by Limerick and county council. TLC has seen over 500 tonnes of litter gathered from the streets by volunteers and event partner Mr. Binman since its inception in 2015 equating to over 14,500 household wheelie bins.

La na gClub:
Takes place on Easter Monday 1st April. Bord nan Óg to hold fun events on the day weather permitting.
Strictly Come Dancing
Granagh Ballingarry GAA club are seeking 14 couples to compete in Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday 12th October in the Charleville Park Hotel.
Munster Hurling and Football Championship Details
The Munster Council have issued an update on the ticket sales for both the Munster Senior Hurling and Football championship fixtures which began on Sunday 7th April with the meeting of Cork and Limerick in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and Waterford and Tipperary in Fisher Field, Dungarvan in the quarter finals of the Munster Senior Football championship at 2pm.
Munster Hurling Championship
Munster Hurling Championship holders make the first defence of their Munster Senior Hurling championship title away to neighbours Clare in Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday 21st April at 2pm. Tickets for this fixture and also games in Walsh Park, Waterford between Waterford and Tipperary on Saturday 4th May at 6pm will be distributed via the participating county boards and will not be for sale on the Ticketmaster website due to the demand and venue capacity. Tickets for remaining seven out of ten round robin games in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship will go on sale today Wednesday 27th March at 10am via gaa.ie/tickets and via participating Centra and SuperValu outlets. Hurling fans looking to get their hands on tickets to Limerick games against Tipperary in Pairc na nGael on Sunday 28th April at 4pm against Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday 11th May at 7pm and against Waterford in Pairc na nGael on Sunday 25th May at 4pm can do so through the Munster GAA website. Tickets for the Munster Senior Football Championship quarter final scheduled for Sunday April 7th are now on sale via the Munster GAA website.

Club Gear:
Granagh-Ballingarry club tops, hoodies, tracksuits, jackets, shorts and socks can now be ordered online at www.laochrasport.ie/product-category/clubs/granagh/ballingarryclub.

€4,200 Jackpot on Saturday:
There was no winner of the €4,100 jackpot in the Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club lottery on Saturday 23rd March in the Rock Bar, Granagh. The numbers drawn were 15, 24, 27 and 30. The lucky dips of €20 each went to Fiona Powe, promoter online, Tanya O’Neill promoter Adrian Faraher, John Lenihan promoter Mike Healy, Sean and Kate O’Gorman promoterO’Gorman’s shop, Chawkes Cross, Granagh. The next draw for a jackpot of €4,200 will be held on Saturday 30th March in the Dinny A’s Bar, Ballingarry. Tickets are €2 each or three for €5 and are on sale in local shops, bars and from promoters, you can now also play online the link is available on the club Facebook or Twitter which finishes at 6pm every Saturday. Thank you for your continued support.

Club Website:
Check out our website at www.granaghballingarrygaa.ie for all the latest club news. Our club website is updated regularly and is well worth a visit you can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/granaghballingarrygaa and on twitter at www.twitter.com/granaghballingarry.

Sympathy:
Granagh Ballingarry GAA club officials, players and members extend sympathy to the Chawke and Bennett family, Granagh, on the death of Esther (Essie) Chawke (née O’Grady), Granagh and Portumna, Co.Galway. Ar dheis lamh Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

Club Diary:
Saturday 30th March
County Feile na nGael Roinn C Group 2 Round 1
Granagh Ballingarry v Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan in Askeaton at 10am
County Feile na nGael Roinn C Group 2 Round 2
Granagh Ballingarry v Killacolla Gaels in Askeaton at 11am
County Feile na nGael Roinn C Group 2 Round 3
Granagh Ballingarry v Knockaderry in Askeaton at 12 noon
County Feile na nGael Roinn C Group 2 Round 4
Granagh Ballingarry v Dromin Athlacca Banogue in Askeaton at 1pm
Munster U20 Football Championship Phase 1 Round 3
Limerick v Clare in Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran at 2pm
Waterford v Tipperary in Lemybrien at 2pm
West Junior A Football League/championship Round 1
Granagh Ballingarry v Feenagh Kilmeedy in Pairc Caoimh Ui Luing, Feenagh at 5pm
Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake Round 2
Limerick Greyhound Stadium gates open at 6.30pm
Tuesday 2nd April
Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Round 1
Tipperary v Limerick in Semple Stadium, Thurles at 7pm
Clare v Waterford in Pairc Naomh Mhuire Quilty at 7pm
Thursday 4th April
Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 1
Tipperary v Cork in Semple Stadium, Thurles at 7pm
Clare v Waterford in Sixmilebridge at 7pm
West Senior Hurling League/Championship Round 1
Granagh Ballingarry v Newcastle West in Ballingarry at 6.30pm
Friday 5th April
Munster U20 Hurling Championship Round 1
Clare v Limerick in Sixmilebridge at 7pm
Cork v Waterford in Fraher Field, Dungarvan at 7pm.