Kildimo-Pallaskenry celebrate Limerick minor ‘A’ hurling championship final success:
By John Redington Limerick Leader Soort
KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY are celebrating Limerick minor ‘A’ hurling final success after getting the better of Glenquin Gaels 1-17 to 0-9 in the decider played at sun-drenched Mick Neville Park on Sunday afternoon.
Although the Killeedy-Monagea-Tournafulla combination enjoyed the more impressive opening, Kildimo-Pallaskenry managed to contain their opponents on the scoreboard and, once they got their game into gear, they moved ahead and were already on the front foot when Glenquin were reduced to fourteen players and then conceded an unfortunate goal inside a few minutes coming up to the break,
When the winners lead stretched to nine points right on the restart, the outcome was already decided as the West Limerick side’s attempts at a recovery were nullified by the extra defender closing off the avenue to the goalposts.
Although they managed to steady the ship during the third-quarter, the combination side struggled to match the triangle of Shane Carroll, Jose Azzopardi and Seán Kavanagh in the middle and their attack just couldn’t match the finishing power of Robert O’Farrell.
It took some minutes for the early exchanges to settle down to a pattern before Conor Haugh got the first chance for Glenquin only for his shot to be stopeed on the line by Joe Fitzgerald. Gavin Dorgan then sent over the resulting ’65’.
Even though Jack Sheahan’s follow-up point from distance was matched by Robert O’Farrell’s pointed free, matters looked to be going the West Limerick combination’s way when Jack Collins restored their advantage of two points but they then missed the target on their next three shots at the posts.
Given the breathing space, Kildimo-Pallaskenry responded through Jose Azzopardi’s long shot off a barnstorming solo before O’Farrell equalised with a shot on the turn. He then put his side in front from a free.
Attempting to respond, Glenquin’s chances suddenly took a downward turn when they lost a player to a straight red for an off-the-ball incident and their opponents didn’t waste time using their numerical advantage with O’Farrell and Ross Allen stretching their lead. And it just wasn’t looking like the combo’s day when O’Farrell’s free from halfway drifted all the way to their net.
Dorgan’s pointed free did break the sequence but O’Farrell replied with a point from a ’65’ and from play and, going into added time, Dorgan’s free was matched by O’Farrell’s free to leave Kildimo-Pallaskenry leading 1-9 to 0-5 at the break.
When Jack Butler and Seán Kavanagh struck for points within a minute of the restart and Liam O’Connor was forced to depart through injury, the already-depleted Glenquin’s task was moving from challenging to serious . However, they lifted themselves to find answering scores from Collins and Jack Sheahan.
However, that momentum stalled once O’Farrell replied with points from a free and from play by the three-quarter mark.
The gap stretched further when Dorgan’s response was bettered by O’Farrell, Kavanagh and Azzopardi all finding the target inside two minutes.
Glenquuin’s disappointing day continued when they were reduced to thirteen after a player departed on a second yellow. During the closing minutes, Azzipardi bagged Kildimo-Pallaskenry’s final score before Paul Collins sent over a late, late consolation point for their opponents.
SCORERS: KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Robert O’Farrell 1-9 (1-6 frees, 0-1 ’65’), Jose Azzopardi, Seán Kavanagh 0-3 each, Ross Allen, Jack Butler 0-1; GLENQUIN GAELS: Gavin Dorgan 0-4 (1 free, 2 ’65’s), Jack Collins 0-2, Jack Sheahan, Paul Collons 0-1 each.
KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Joe Fitzgerald; Eoghan Kavanagh, Cian Guinane, Cian O’Sullivan; Eoghan Moloney, Shane Carroll, Sam Guerin; Jose Azzopardi, Seán Kavanagh; Jake Higgins, Eoghan O’Keeffe, Ross Allen; Robert O’Farrell, Jack Butler, Rory McCauley. SUBS: Luke Hickey for Jack Higgins (54 minutes), Miguel Azzopardi for Jack Butler (54 minutes), Luke Moore for Rory McCauley (54 minutes).
GLENQUIN GAELS: Cormac Kelly (Monagea); Liam O’Connor (Monagea), Patrick Kirby (Killeedy), Luke Broderick (Monagea); Odhran Kelleher (Killeedy), Cathal Kelly (Monagea), Paul Collins (Tournafulla); Diarmuid Mullaney (Killeedy), Jack Sheahan (Tournafulla); Dylan Browne (Monagea), Gavin Dorgan (Monagea), Jack Collins (Monagea); Conor Haugh (Monagea), Seán Lee (Monagea), Timmy O’Keeffe (Tournafulla). SUBS: Ronan O’Connor (Monagea) for Liam O’Connor (injured, 33 minutes), Dylan Kennedy (Tournafulla) for Seán Lee (40 minutes), Thomas Kelly (Monagea) for Jack Collins (58 minutes), Kevin Collins (Tournafulla) for Diarmuid mullaney (58 minutes).
REFEREE: Michael Moloney (Caherline).