KILDIMO/PALLASKENRY GAA CLUB NOTES
INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 2-14 Drom/Broadford 1-13. What a result in sunny Askeaton for our Pallas Plastering/Chill the Beans-sponsored intermediate footballers in their first Championship outing of the season! Against the former kingpins of Limerick football, John Chawke’s charges delivered a huge performance to take the victory. Our seasoned opponents are looking for an immediate return to the senior grade and marginally had the better of the opening half. They took an early lead but were pegged back immediately by a great score from our inspirational captain, Liam O’Sullivan, who put in a towering performance from wing-back. We were then hit with a blow when Drom/Broadford were able to work a ball in around their full-forward line and the ball was slotted to the net by the big full-forward taking a ball off the shoulder. A quick point shortly after and they had a four-point lead inside ten minutes.
But, credit must go to all the lads, they never panicked. Training and challenges have been going very well, they have overcome setbacks and we bounced back almost immediately. A great ball was played into the corner, Peter Nash skinned his marker and raced inside his cover. As Peter bore down on goal, he showed great composure to step back outside the cover and slot the ball to the back of the net with his left foot. The elusive Dylan Corrigan then fired over a point to put us back on level terms. Our opponents hit back with two consecutive points but Liam cut straight through the middle again before landing another big point, before Peter curled over a beauty from distance to level things again at the water break
Following the water break, they once again hit two points on the trot but, once again, we responded well, this time with a free from Peter Nash. Drom/Broadford hit another score from play before Liam O’Sullivan raced through to kick a marvellous third to leave the half-time score: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 1-6 Drom/Broadford 1-7.
After the early setback, we had grown into the game; the likes of Jack Mullane and Eoin Sheahan offering great physicality in defence while James Pomeroy did an almost-perfect man-marking job in the middle of the field. We knew we had threat when we moved the ball, the running of Liam O’Sullivan, Conor Staff and Dylan Corrigan from deep was causing serious problems while Ryan Kelly and Peter Nash were moving very well inside. Lorcan O’Leary was offering plenty as a linkman and the second half also saw Cathal Downes introduced, who won kickout after kickout on both sides.
We started the second half like a train. Dylan Corrigan got us off the mark by weaving his way through the defence before kicking a score to level the game. There was a period where both sides struggled to hold onto the ball but, although we kicked a lot of wides in the first half, we were a lot more clinical in the second half and Dylan kicked his third point from play to put us a point up for the first time. And we followed that score up, Dylan was again instrumental as he took on the Drom/Broadford defence, the ball eventually broke free off his grasp inside but Ryan Kelly was there to finish coolly into the bottom corner to give us a four-point lead.
The goal stirred Drom/Broadford back into life and they would kick the next points to reduce the gap back to two points. But Jamie Hickey was pinging his kickouts and the likes of Lorcan O’Leary were getting on all the breaks and we had plenty of possession to get us the scores that we needed. A foul on Liam O’Sullivan gave Peter Nash the opportunity to put us three in front again, before Drom/Broadford cut the gap once more. When Dylan Corrigan was fouled, Peter Nash again kicked the score and, again, Drom/Broadford responded.
But, following the water break, we hit a purple patch and extended our lead. Garry Sheehan and Martin Nunan offered legs from the bench while Conor Staff was always a willing runner from deep, as was Liam O’Sullivan. It was Liam who put us three to the good again as he showed phenomenal pace to go through a gap that he had no right to get through before landing an absolutely sublime point. This was followed by a fine run by Conor Staff and a cool, measured kick off his right foot to put us four points in front. Peter Nash then weaved in from the left corner before landing a monster point with his left foot. When Liam O’Sullivan was almost poleaxed after another darting run, resulting in a black card, Dylan Corrigan converted the free with ease to give us a six-point lead.
We were dominant but Drom/Broadford are a proud side and came at us hammer-and-tongs in the closing minutes. They threw everything at us and did work goal chances but there were some crucial interventions from the likes of Cathal Downes and Tony McCarthy, while Jamie Hickey organised things from between the sticks. They did manage a point from play and a point from a free but the goal that they so desperately wanted was denied them.
This was a superb performance, one of real character, showing composure and experience to see out the victory. Almost certainly, it is our most impressive result since winning promotion to the intermediate grade a few years ago. However, it is only the first step on the road, and we need a victory against Crecora/Manister next Thursday evening to claim a place in the county quarter-final. Well done to all involved on a fine performance, credit must go to manager John Chawke, coach Ollie Coffey and the management team of Billy O’Sullivan, Paul Browne and Alan Fitzgerald for the work they’ve put in so far this year. Hopefully there is plenty more to come from this fine footballing side!
Team: Jamie Hickey; Jack Mullane, Barry Walsh, Mossy Sheahan; Eoin Sheahan, Tony McCarthy, Liam O’Sullivan (0-4); Conor Staff (0-1), James Pomeroy; Dylan Corrigan (0-4, 0-1 free), Lorcan O’Leary, Matthew Lucey; Peter Nash (1-5, 0-3 frees), Johnny McHale, Ryan Kelly (1-0)
Subs: Cathal Downes for Matthew Lucey; Gary Sheehan for Johnny McHale; Martin Nunan for Ryan Kelly
Panel: Paudie Walsh, Keel Moloney, Luke Guinane, Naoise McGarrigle, Sean Staff, Pa Staff, Tadhg O’Shaughnessy, Darren Lane, Bryan O’Shea, Darragh Deegan, Shaun Barry, Aaron O’Donovan
INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL FIXTURE: Our second fixture in the Intermediate Football Championship is fixed for this Thursday, September 2 in Croagh at 6.30pm. We are due to take on a Crecora/Manister side who were defeated by Drom/Broadford in their first outing. Capacity is still limited so please keep an eye on social media for a link for tickets.
U-13 FOOTBALL: Hard luck to our U-13 footballers who fell to a very strong Ballybrown side in the U-13 Football Championship. Ballybrown just had that extra goalscoring touch on the day, but our lads have still finished second in the group and are now fixed to play Monaleen on Thursday in the Shield semi-final at 7pm in Monaleen.
FÉILE NA PEIL: We hosted the Féile na Peil at the weekend, with our lads having three outings in Pallaskenry across Friday & Saturday. We were just pipped by a point in our first game, falling to eventual group winners, St. Kieran’s, on a 1-4 to 0-6 scoreline. This was a very tight group and with St. Senan’s and Athea drawing in the other opening fixture, we knew we still had a shot with two games to go. But the tight nature of the group became even
more evident, as we drew with Athea on a 3-4 to 4-1 scoreline! St. Kieran’s edged St. Senan’s by a point which meant only those two sides could top the group after Saturday’s games. We defeated St. Senan’s by 3-4 to 0-2 to go clear in second. Some brilliant performances by our lads; we were very unlucky to lose by a point in the opening fixture and there is plenty of hope for the future!
MINOR FOOTBALL: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 4-8 Galbally 5-9. Galbally GAA pitch saw a goalfest on Wednesday evening as we went head-to-head with the home side. There was some real quality, attacking football on show as both sides rattled the net plenty of times. In the end, however, we came out on the wrong side of the result with Galbally winning by four points. There are still two games remaining in this minor football campaign with Fr. Casey’s next up.
MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Our minor hurlers have two Championship fixtures this week, both at home. On Wednesday, September 1, we take on Garryspillane in Kildimo at 7pm. Then, on Saturday September 4, we are fixed to play Cappamore at 11am, also in Kildimo. Keep an eye on social media for any changes to these fixtures. This is a very talented group, who are currently top of the group with just those two games left to play. However, it is likely that we will need to win both games to ensure a place in the county semi-final.
CLUB LIMERICK DRAW: Congratulations to John Chawke who was a winner in the most recent Club Limerick draw! This is a great way to support both your club and county, so please join the Club Limerick draw for 2021! You can win up to €10,000 monthly with 30 cash prizes and an exclusive star prize given out each month! Join the Club Limerick draw by visiting www.limerickgaa.ie/club-limerick-draw “supporting the future success of our clubs & county teams”.
PITCH SIGNAGE: If you or business is interested in supporting your local GAA club, give us a message on social media for details of pitch signage options in both Kildimo and Pallaskenry GAA grounds.
CLUB LOTTO: The winning numbers in this week’s lotto draw were 3, 15, 20, 23. There was no winner of the overall draw. The €25 lucky dip winners were 1. Brendan Gallagher; 2. Brian Butler; 3. Margaret Davoren; 4. Jim Mulcair. The jackpot rises to €11,200 for next week’s draw.
Our lotto has moved online and can be played at https://smartlotto.ie/kildimo-pallaskenry-gaa/lotto with options to play weekly, monthly or as often as you like! Six-month and annual lotto subscriptions are also now available. With ongoing restrictions our club lotto is the most vital fundraising and income source for the club, even more so now when all other fundraising activities remain suspended and not possible to run. We are continuing to reach out to members, supporters, friends of our club to please consider joining and playing the lotto online in order to support the ongoing costs of running our club. The best way to support the club right now is through the lotto!
Tickets are also available in Mace Kildimo, Gala Pallaskenry, the Seven Sisters and from our weekly lotto sellers. Please continue to support your local club!
TWITTER: The club also have a new twitter account which can be found by searching Kildimo/Pallaskenry GAA or by the twitter handle @kildimopallas. Give the club a follow to keep up to date with all the latest club news.
PHOTOGRAPH : Kildimo/Pallaskenry Intermediate football team who defeated Drom/Broadford in the first round of Championship.