Mungret St Paul’s cruise to Limerick Intermediate football title with win over Drom-Broadford:
By John Keogh Limerick Leader Sport
MUNGRET ST PAUL’S will be playing senior football in 2024 following a 1-8 to 1-3 victory over Drom-Broadford in Askeaton this Saturday afternoon.
The city side’s sensational year continued with the five-point win that sees them follow up their junior hurling win a week ago and promotion to Senior A in hurling next year. They take on Camogue Rovers in the junior football final on Sunday morning.
Mungret dominated proceedings from early on with Brendan Giltenane opening the scoring with a well-taken score following a neat one-two with Darragh Bridgeman.
Shane Barry doubled their advantage on 10 minutes with a beauty off his left boot. That lead could have been more if a couple of passes when close to goal had gone to hand.
However, Mungret continued on their upward curve with John Hutton bagging a third score from a placed ball on 20 minutes to extend their lead.
Brian Aherne eventually got Drom-Broadford moments later. That point came from Drom-Broadford pushing up on Mungret, an all too rare occurrence from their point of view.
Mungret certainly were not deterred from the concession of that score with two long range frees from their captain Hutton seeing them to a 0-5 to 0-1 half time advantage.
Drom brought James Molyneaux and Brian Noonan on at the break and immediately got a bounce with a well-taken Jack Pierce score.
Mungret held off that bright start and soon restored their four-point lead with a Brian Barry fine score that was followed up by a crucial goal.
James Killian found himself in 30 yards of space, turned his marker and delivered a powerful finish to the roof of the net to go 1-6 to 0-2 ahead.
Barry added a second point to got further in front but Drom got hope of a comeback when Brian Aherne provided a stunning goal on 46 minutes.
Drom were nearly in for another goal 11 minutes from time when Kevin Noonan was played in on goal but he was denied by an excellent diving stop from Jake Foley.
Giltenane and Micheáll Brosnan traded points in the final 10 minutes as Mungret eased to victory. They spurned a number of goal chances late on but they were not to be denied a deserved win and promotion to senior for next season.
SCORERS – MUNGRET ST PAUL’S: James Killian 1-0, John Hutton 0-3 (0-3 frees), Brendan Giltenane and Brian Barry 0-2 each, Shane Barry 0-1.
SCORERS – DROM-BROADFORD: Brian Aherne 1-1, Jack Pierce and Micheál Brosnan 0-1 each.
MUNGRET ST PAUL’S: Jake Foley; Brian Treacy, Robert Hegarty, Liam Harrington; James Garvey, Jack McCarthy, Frank Corcoran; Brian Barry, Darragh O’Hagan; Killian Ryan, John Hutton, James Killian; Brendan Giltenane, Shane Barry, Darragh Bridgeman.
SUBS: Oisin Moss for Treacy (35 mins), Diarmuid Hynes for Bridgeman (35 mins), Tom Lloyd for Ryan (37 mins), Ciaran Deane for Killian (49 mins), Eoin Ryan for Giltenane (58 mins).
DROM-BROADFORD: Brian Stack; Graham Roche, Sean O’Sullivan, Seamus Brosnan; Tommy Ryan, Jack Ryan, Patrick Stack; Brian O’Callaghan Damien Burke; Micheál Brosnan, Cillian Fahy, Kenny Lynch; Jack Pierce, Brian Aherne, Garrett Noonan.
SUBS: James Molyneaux for P Stack (h-t), Brian Noonan for O’Callaghan (h-t), Kevin Noonan for Burke (40 mins), Sean Brosnan for T Ryan (40 mins), Michael Ryan for G Noonan (40 mins).
REFEREE: Timmy McGrath (Oola).