NEWCASTLE WEST GAA.
Munster Final Heartache
NCW 1.8 Kerins O’Rahillys 2.6
It wasn’t to be for our gallant senior football team and management when we went down by the narrowest of margins against Kerins O’Rahillys in the Munster Senior Club Final, which was subject to a late change of time and venue and took place at 3pm on Saturday the 10th of December in Mallow.
Kerins O’Rahillys opened the scoring with a point in the opening minute of the game, but we quickly gained our composure and a free from Eoin Hurley and a brilliant point from play by Shane Stack put us 0.2 to 0-1 ahead after 10mins, and Kerins O’Rahillys equalised shortly after. In what was a cagey first half, we had to wait until the 19th minute for the next score, which was a huge pointed free from Eoin Hurley outside the 45m line. Captain fantastic Iain Corbett then put us into a 2 point lead on 28mins with a wonderful point from play, where he took full advantage of the advantage the referee awarded him. Kerins O’Rahillys responded with a point in injury time to leave us leading by the minimum at half time, 0.4 to 0.3.
Kerins O’Rahillys came out of the blocks fast in the second half and quickly had the scores level, before Tommy Walsh scored an excellent goal from a long delivery into the forward line, to leave the score 0.4 to 1.4 on 35min, and they followed this up with another point a minute later. This devastating spell would have buried many sides but the boys regrouped and Mike Mc got another goal to add to his superb Championship 2022 tally, reacting quickest to a long ball in from Cian Sheehan that hit the post, and this left the minimum between the sides yet again. This frantic spell was not over however and a 3rd goal inside a few minutes, this time from Kerins O’Rahillys left the score 1.4 to 2.5. Eoin pointed another free on 42mins to bring the deficit back to 3 points, but Kerins O’Rahillys restored their 4 point advantage on 46mins. It was the 59th minute before we saw another score, and again it was Eoin putting us on the scoresheet following a foul on Iain Corbett. Eoin followed it up with another free a minute later and we had real momentum going into the closing minutes. Substitute Aaron Neville took a wonderful catch from a hurried Kerins O’Rahillys clearance and put the ball over the ball to bring it back to 1 point deficit yet again, but with Kerins O’Rahillys securing the kick out they were able to see out the game and take the victory.
Not to be for the boys but what a year they gave us, going undefeated in the championship for the second year running to secure back to back titles for the first time in our history, and giving one of the great displays in Limerick Club Football history in Semple Stadium with a that memorable victory over Clonmel Commercials.
Team: Michael Quilligan; Michael O’Keeffe, Darren O’Doherty, Brian O’Sullivan, Ruadhán O’Connor, James Kelly, Iain Corbett (capt.) (0-01), Emmet Rigter, Sean Murphy, Cian Sheehan, Sean Stack (0-01), Diarmuid Kelly, Eoin Hurley (0-05), Mike McMahon (1-00), Seamus Hurley.
Sub: Thomas Qulligan, Todd Donovan, Bryan Nix, Stephen Brosnan, Aaron Neville (0-01), Brian Hurley, Brian Foley, Ethan Hurley, Sean Geraghty, Donnacha Woods, AJ O’Connor, Joey Healy, Evan Sheehan, Michael Blashiv, Oisin Enright, Lee Woulfe, Michael Cremin, Chris Neville, Eoin Murphy, Stephen Kelly.
Mentors: Jimmy Lee (Manager), Stephen Kelly (Coach), Liam Keane and Martin O’Sullivan (Selectors).
Backroom Team: Margaret Delee, James Corbett, Kieran Brouder, Trevor Neville, Keith Begley, Lee Woulfe, Eoin Murphy, Padraig Vallely, Tony Kelly, Jack Gleeson. Video: Kevin Daly.
The club would like to thank everyone who contributed to the fundraising effort ahead of the final. The amount raised in such a short space of time speaks volumes about how the club and the squad are perceived within the wider community.
U21 Hurling & Football Fixtures.
All fixtures have been postponed for this week due to adverse weather conditions. This will be reviewed on Friday the 16th of December with a view to recommencing matches from the 18th of December.
Lotto
Our weekly lotto draw took place on Monday 12th of December in Lee’s Bar, and the numbers drawn were 07, 09, 18, 19. There was no winner so the next week’s jackpot will rise to €10,000 and will be held in Cleary’s Bar.
The lucky dip winners of €40 each were Johnny O’Sullivan (c/o Cronin’s Bar), Connie McCoy (c/o Tom Corbett), Joanne & Grace Cremin (Old Mill), Patrick O’Sullivan (Hawthorn Drive), Catherine O’Connor (c/o Mary Kenny).
Our tickets are now on sale for €2.00 each or 3 for €5. They can be purchased online at www.ncwgaa.com click on Lotto on the drop down menu or through any of the local outlets/promoters selling same. A reminder to those of you on social media, that our draw goes out live every Monday evening at 8.30 p.m on Facebook. We thank you all for your continued support
Bonus Christmas Draw winners:
Hampers:
Jerome Scanlan
Brian Fitzgerald
Hams:
John Peter Cremin
Stephen Nix