Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club Notes:

County Premier Junior A Football Championship

Group 2 Round 1

Granagh/Ballingarry 3-7 Ahane 1-13

In ideal conditions at Camogue Rovers GAA club grounds in Meanus on Friday evening a well taken point from a 30-metre placed by second half substitute Aaron Smith one minute into added time paved the way for a hard fought 3-7 to 1-13 draw for Granagh/Ballingarry with 2024 County Junior A Championship winners Ahane in the opening group 2 game in the 2025 County Premier Junior A Football Championship.

A small crowd turned out to watch this opening Group 2 County Junior A Football Championship tie between two fine sporting teams played on an excellent pitch with Michael Mann of Ballybrown in charge. Both sides kicked three wides each in the opening six minutes before the Ahane boys’ No. 10 Denis Kelly, finally found the range when he split the uprights following a good solo run on 7 before points were traded from open play by Darragh Casey on 9 minutes and Donal Dawson two minutes later to leave it 0-2 to 0-1 in favour of the Ahane boys on 11 minutes. Ahane dominated the next four minutes with a trio of unanswered white flags courtesy of Donal Dawson (play) on 12 minutes, Jack Butler (play) on 13 minutes and a placed ball two minutes later to extend the boys in green and gold’s advantage to four, 0-5 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. Both sides were guilty of inaccurate shooting in the next three minutes before Jack Cagney finally ended nine minutes without a Granagh/Ballingarry score on 19 minutes when he cut through the Ahane defence to finish past keeper Tristan O’Sullivan on 19 minutes before Ruairi Cronin of Ahane split the uprights from open play a minute later to leave two between the sides, Ahane 0-16, Granagh/Ballingarry 1-1 on 20 minutes. Then Granagh/Ballingarry hit the front for the first time when Jack Cagney raised his second green flag on 21 minutes before Donal Dawson of Ahane split the uprights following a good solo run two minutes later to leave the sides level for the second time Granagh/Ballingarry 2-1, Ahane 0-7 on 23 minutes. A couple of wides were exchanged before white flags were traded by Jack Butler from open play on 27 minutes and Jack Cagney from a placed ball on 30 minutes to leave the sides level for the third time in this hard fought contest, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-2, Ahane 0-8 at the interval.

The Ahane boys dominated the opening 11 minutes after the interval with 1-1 from open play by Donal Dawson and a white flag each from a placed ball by Jack Butler and open play by substitute David Rowsome to leave the East Limerick side six ahead, 1-11 to 2-2 on 41 minutes.

A couple of wides were exchanged before second half substitute Cian Cagney finally opened the Granagh/Ballingarry boys’ second half account when he split the uprights following a good solo run to reduce the deficit to five, Ahane 1-11, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-3 at the end of the third quarter. Both sides were guilty of inaccurate shooting in the next four minutes before white flags were traded by Paudie Murphy (free) on 50 minutes and Jack Butler (play) on 52 minutes and Liam Óg Glynn (free) on 54 minutes and Paudie Murphy (free) two minutes later to leave five again between the sides, Ahane 1-13, Granagh/Ballingarry 2-5 on 56 minutes. Granagh/Ballingarry finished strong with a well taken point from open play by their No. 11 Jack Cagney on 57 minutes to bring his tally for the games to 2-2 (0-1) free, followed up by a cracking goal by second half substitute Aaron Smith on 59 minutes and a pointed free by Smith one minute into added time to leave the sides level for the fourth time, Granagh/Ballingarry 3-7, Ahane 1-13 at the final whistle.

Both sides must be complimented on a thrilling hard fought contest and can now look forward with confidence to the next round with Granagh/Ballingarry playing Feohanagh/Castlemahon on Friday 15th August in Páirc Uí Caoimh on August 17th in Fedamore at 7pm. Granagh/Ballingarry scored 3-3 from play and 0-4 from frees, Shane scored 1-10 from play and 0-3 from frees.

Granagh/Ballingarry: David Clancy, Niall Cahill, Eoin Casey, Paudie McKenna, Brian Sheehy, Darragh Casey 0-1, Mark O’Shea, Luke Flynn, David Condron, Eoin Lynch, Jack Cagney 2-2 (0-1free), Cian Cagney 0-1 and Tom O’Sullivan.

Ahane: Tristan O’Sullivan, Mark Murphy, Michael O’Neill, Craig O’Connell, Jamie Collins, Seán Cronin, Dylan O’Connell, Liam Óg Glynn 0-1 free, Danny Shahjab, Adam O’Connell 0-1, Jack Butler 0-5 (2 frees), Paddy Hussey, John Donohoe, Ruairi Cronin 0-1, Donal Dawson 1-4. Subs used: David Rowsome 0-1, Rowan Brady, John Clifford, Mike Kearney and Seán Quirke. Referee Michael Mann (Ballybrown)

Tuesday 5th August

Round 1: Granagh/Ballingarry v Newcastlewest in Coolcappa at 7pm.

Monday 11th August

Round 2: Granagh/Ballingarry v Feohanagh/Castlemahon in Raheenagh at 7pm.

County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship

Round 1: Preview

There should be a feast of hurling at GAA venues all over the county for the four first round matches listed in the 2025 Limerick County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship (Michael Fox Memorial Cup). The West v South clash of 2024 second tier county intermediate hurling champions Croagh/Kilfinny and Effin will signal the start of the matches in this year’s championship tomorrow Thursday 24th July in Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran at 7pm.

The 2025 Limerick County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship is played on a league system in one group of eight which include Garryspillane, Effin, Granagh/Ballingarry, Blackrock, South Liberties, Croagh Kilfinny, Glenroe and Bruff. Each team plays each other once with the top four teams to qualify for the County Championship Semi finals with the bottom relegated to second tier intermediate grade for 2026. In the event of equality of points relegation shall be decided by way of play-offs. The mouth-watering clash of the black and greens Granagh/Ballingarry and Glenroe on this Friday 25th July in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock at 7pm has generated a buzz in both clubs in a rematch of last season’s final group stage game won 3-14 to 0-11 by Granagh/Ballingarry to claim their 4th brace of points in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship to finish joint fourth in the group on 8 points with Effin but unfortunately lost out on a semi final spot on the head rule to Effin and Glenroe who finished on four points to retain their premier intermediate status for 2025.

The team that wet and windy October evening in Kilmallock read:

Granagh/Ballingarry: Denis O’Connor, Eoin Casey, John Kiely, Brian Sheehy, Ronan Mullane, Jack Cagney, Michael Russell, Josh Quille Mulcaire, Darragh Casey, Damien O’Donovan 0-1, Cathal O’Keeffe 0-4, Seán O’Connor 0-7 (0-5 frees 0-1 lineball), Paudie Murphy 2-1, Luke Flynn 0-1, Eoin Lynch, 1-0. Subs used: Colm Noonan, Eoin Horgan, Eoin Herlihy, Seán Murphy.

Glenroe: Ian O’Sullivan, Patrick Holian, Jordan Sheehy, Shane O’Donoghue, Shaun Moloney 0-1, Stephen Walsh, Darren Carroll, Derrek McCarthy, Brian O’Connell 0-1, Mark O’Connell 0-7 (6 frees 1 65), Liam Dennehy, Ciarán Kelly, Keelan Riordan, David McCarthy, Darren Frewin 0-2. Subs used Seán Clancy, Jonathan Tellan, Cian Browne.

Glenroe who gained premier intermediate status in 2017 have won one drawn one and lost four in their five competitive games to date this season to finish joint fifth on three points with Blackrock in the South Senior Hurling League/Championship table.

Results as follows:

Round 1: Garryspillane 0-14, Glenroe 0-10

Round 2: Bruree 2-13, Glenroe 0-17

Round 3: Kilmallock 1-23, Glenroe 0-8

Round 4: Glenroe 1-18, Glackrock 0-21 (draw)

Round 5: Glenroe 0-25, Bruff 0-14

Round 6: Dromin/Athlacca 1-17, Glenroe 0-14

Granagh/Ballingarry who won promotion back into the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2023 for the first time since 2016 have won four and lost three of their seven competitive games played to date this season to finish joint third on four points with Effin in the West Senior Hurling League Championship table to qualify for the semi final where they went under to Newcastlewest and defeated Feenagh/Kilmeedy 5-4 on penalties to win the Jim (Twin) Lynch Memorial Cup for the sixth year in a row and Ballygiblin, North Cork in the Dunworth Cup Final.

West Senior Hurling League/Championship

Round 1: Granagh-Ballingarry 1-21, Feenagh-Kilmeedy 0-8.

Round 2: Adare 0-21, Granagh-Ballingarry 1-11.

Round 3: Croagh-Kilfinny 1-15, Granagh-Ballingarry 0-15.

Round 4: Granagh-Ballingarry 2-20, Effin 3-14.

Jim Twin Lynch Memorial Cup Final

Granagh-Ballingarry 0-18, Feenagh-Kilmeedy 0-18. Granagh-Ballingarry won 5-4 on penalties.

Dunworth Cup Final

Granagh-Ballingarry 0-19, Ballygiblin 0-15.

A mouth-watering clash awaits us with neither side fearing the other and both confident of victory so this Friday 25th July Fitzgerald Park Kilmallock is the place to be for all Granagh-Ballingarry Gaels to cheer on the boys in black and green and their management tea of John O’Connor, Mark O’Sullivan and Ger Ryan as they bid to make a winning start to their County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign.

The Limerick County Intermediate Hurling Championship dates back to 1910, it was the third to be established in the county and was seen as a stepping stone between the senior and junior championship, but three separate hurling championships in the cou8nty proved hard to sustain due to lack of competitive clubs and newly formed intermediate was not stage in 1913 and was suspended in 1915. In 1928 an effort was made to revive it but after two seasons it was suspended again in favour of a two tier senior and junior championship. After a gap of nearly half a century the Intermediate Hurling Championship was reorganised again in 1975 and again it only survived for three seasons. By 1998 the gap between senior and junior squads was introduced once more, this time it remained a staple competition n the club hurling calendar in Limerick but it has undergone changes. Originalloy played as a straight knockout championship the competition was expanded to feature a group league stage so as to get more games for clubs. In 2013 the Intermediate Hurling championship was relegated to being the third most important hurling championship in Limerick as a new premier intermediate grade was set up to because the number of participating clubs was reduced from 16 to 12.

Dromin-Athlacca – 5 1977, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018.

Pallasgreen – 3 1995, 2003, 2014.

Na Piarsaigh – 2 1994, 2022.

Bruff  – 2 1989, 2008.

Garryspillane – 2.

Herbertstown – 2 2002, 2010.

Mungret/St. Paul’s – 2 1975, 2016.

South Liberties – 2 1911, 2009.

Effin – 2 2011, 2021.

Granagh-Ballingarry – 2 2005, 2023.

Cappamore 2015, Ballybrown 2018, Claughaun 2006, Tournafulla 2003, Knockainey 2001, Murroe-Boher 1999, Croom 1993. Monaleen 1997, Blackrock 1993, Killeedy 1992. Old Christians 1991. Feohanagh-Castlemahon 1988, Fedamore 1978. Hospital 1929, Killeedy 1928, Murroe 1914, Ballybricken 1912, Ballingarry 1910, Kildimo-Pallaskenry 2019, Glenroe 2017, Newcastle West 2020, Croagh-Kilfinny 2024.

Monaleen – 2 2016, 2022, Bruff 2014, Bruree 2015, Murroe-Boher 2017, Garryspillane 2018, Blackrock 2019, Kildimo-Pallaskenry 2020, Mungret-St. Paul’s 2021, Dromin-Athlacca 2023, Newcastle West 2024.

Congratulations to Tom O’Gorman of O’Gorman’s Shop, Chawkes Cross, Granagh on wining the two All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final tickets in the Granagh-Ballingarry GAA club draw from 1,577 entries. The total proceeds comes to 3,000 which will be divided equally between Ballingarry and Granagh National Schools and Granagh-Ballingarry GAA Club. Thank you to all who support the draw.

Mairead Reidy and Shane O’Grady won All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final tickets in the normal club draw.

The next Limerick County GAA Clubs draw will be held on Saturday July 26th with a top prize of €10,000. There are a host of other prizes to be won, 2nd €3,000, 3rd €2000, 4th €1,000, 5th executive star prize, 6th to 9th €500, 10th to 13th €300, 11th to 30th €200.

Granagh/Ballingarry had 198 members in the fourth draw in June and two winners to date. Club chairperson Andrew Holmes and Noreen Hennessy won €200 in the first draw in March. If you would like to renew your membership please visit limerickgaa.ieclub/limerickdrawsignup and select Granagh Ballingarry GAA club  or contact Granagh/Ballingarry Club co-ordinator Stephen Stapleton.

Note: all new members for the next draw must be in by Thursday 24th July at 5pm.

All Granagh-Ballingarry GAA Club supporters are asked to please take note of the links below to purchase tickets for all Limerick County Senior, Intermediate and Junior hurling and football championship games in 2025. There are two ticket categories for adults (15 per ticket pre-purchased through www.universe.com) and OAP/student 10 (8 for tickets prepurchased through www.universe.com (valid ID to be shown at venue), children U16 are free. Tickets are sold through www.unierse.com this year. Direct link for tickets to all matches are as below and note separate links for each game and tickets can be also purchased through Limerick GAA website www.limerickgaa.ie under ‘Buy Club Tickets’.

Granagh/Ballingarry players’ membership can still be renewed online at ww.foireann.ie Any player not currently registered who incurs an injury will not be covered by GAA insurance and will have to cover all costs including medical and loss of earnings, so we ask all players to register as soon as possible.

Granagh-Ballingarry GAA Club draw promoters are taking to the streets of the parish to canvass members to join the club draw, which will be held quarterly with €2,000 in prizes. 1st prize €1,000 and 10 prizes of €100 with the option to join the club’s weekly lottery/County Club draw for €200. If you wish to renew your membership, please contact your promoter as soon as possible as the first draw is due to take place shortly.

Granagh Ballingarry club tops, hoodies, tracksuits, shorts and socks can now be ordered online at www.laochrasports.ie/product-category/club/granagh-ballingarry.

There was no winner of the €11,000 jackpot in the Granagh/Ballingarry GAA club lottery draw held on Saturday 19th July in Denny’s Bar, Ballingarry. The numbers drawn were 1, 5, 15 and 20. The lucky dips of €20 each went to Noreen Enright, promoter online; Kathleen Kennedy, promoter O’Grady’s Spar Shop, Ballingarry; Pat Horgan, promoter Donagh McCarthy; Ber Chawke, promoter Mike Chawke.

The next draw will be held on Saturday 26th July in Buckley’s Bar, Ballingarry for a jackpot of €11,100. Tickets are €2 each or three for €5 and are on sale in local shops, bars and from promoter. You can now also buy the weekly draw online and the link is available on the club’s Facebook or Twitter page which finishes at 6pm every Saturday.

Thank you for your continued support.

Check out our website at www.granagh-ballingarrygaa.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/granaghballingarrygaaclub and on Twitter at www.facebook.com/granaghballingarrygaaclub and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/granaghballingarry

Friday 25th July:

County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 1

Granagh-Ballingarry v Glenroe in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock at 7pm.

Sunday 27th July:

All Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Kerry v Donegal in Croke Park at 3.30pm.

Wednesday 30th July:

County Minor C Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 3

Granagh-Ballingarry v Southside Gels in Rathbane at 7pm.

Thursday 31st July

County Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 1

Bruree v Croom in Ballingarry at 7pm.

Saturday 2nd August

County Premier Intermediate Hurling Round 2

Granagh-Ballingarry v South Liberties in Adare at 7pm.

Tuesday 5th August

West Junior B Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 1

Granagh-Ballingarry v Newcastle West in Coolcappa at 7pm.

Wednesday 6th August

County Junior A Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 2

Bruff v Rathkeale in Ballingarry at 7pm.

Thursday 7th August:

County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 3

Granagh-Ballingarry v Bruff in Adare at 7pm.

Monday 11th August

West Junior B Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 2

Granagh-Ballingarry v Feohanagh-Castlemahon in Raheenagh at 7pm.

Friday 15th August

County Premier Junior A Football Championship Group 2 Round 2

Granagh-Ballingarry v Feohanagh-Castlemahon in Pairc Caoimh Ui Luing, Feenagh at 7pm.

Sunday 17th August

County Junior B Football Championship Group 1 Round 2

Cappagh v Bruree in Ballingarry at 12 noon.