ST.KIERAN’S
County Senior Football Championship Round 1:
St. Kieran’s 2.12 Kildimo/Pallaskenry 2.9
The Bog Garden, Rathkeale was the venue on Thursday evening last for the opening round of the 2022 Irish Wire Products County Senior Football championship where reigning Intermediate Champions Kildimo/Pallaskenry were our opponents. Making their debut in the senior football ranks and one of two clubs who enjoy duel senior status along with their near neighbours Adare it was the men from the banks of the Shannon who began the game the brighter and enjoyed first half dominance playing an excellent brand of attacking football transitioning the ball excellently from defence to attack which we found challenging to cope with at times. We struggled to find our rhythm in the opening half and were somewhat wayward in front of goal but at the same time we created plenty of scoring chances and if lady luck went our way, we could well have had three first half goals and the game could have looked at lot differently. Despite this it was Kildimo/Pallaskenry who got the games opening goal midway through the first half following a moment of indecision on our part at the back which saw goalkeeper Ian Mackessy beaten by a thundering strike to give Kildimo/Pallaskenry a four-point lead at the interval. First half scores came from the impressive Anthony Molyneaux, John Hayes, and Dylan Moloney while Liam Kennedy was equally threatening in attack. As the second half began, we pushed hard to eat into the deficit and despite enjoying possession early on and having the first three attacks of the half it was the Shannonsiders who got the second halves opening score and increased their lead to five. Our fortunes changed dramatically when Liam Kennedy pierced through the heart of the defence once again and was dragged down leaving the referee with no option but to award a penalty. Having scored two in the recent county league semi final victory over Galbally, Dylan Moloney stepped up and powerfully slotted the ball past the despairing keeper to bring us back into the game. Alas following the kickout Kildimo/Pallaskenry secured possession and broke through out defence to find the back of net and their lead was back intact. To be fair to the lads they never lost hope, John Hayes and Darragh Treacy ably assisted by the ever-present Johnny McCarthy stood up to the challenge and began to take control of affairs in the middle of the field winning invaluable possession. Cormac Mann, Lorcan Murphy and Shane Fitzgerald were all introduced in the second half, and each made a telling contribution, Lorcan fed Liam Kennedy before he was dragged down to the penalty and scored a well struck point off his left leg which could easily have found the back of the net were it not for
an excellent save by the Kildimo/Pallaskenry keeper. Now trailing by four once again with twelve minutes to go the game had another dramatic moment as Kildimo/Pallaskenry were awarded a penalty. With the game hanging in the balance Ian Mackessy brilliantly got down to save the penalty, his second so far this season to keep us in the game. There is greatly credit due to this young team for the way in which they battled on in the final ten minutes, John Hayes, Mike Shanahan, and Seamus Mangan stood up when needed. John secured possession in the middle of the field playing inside and taking the return pass to fire over an excellent point before Seamus Mangan found the back of the net to tie the game up with five to go before giving us the lead in the closing moments. Dramatically leading by three points as the game went into the allocated five minutes injury time Kildimo/Pallaskenry launched an aerial assault to secure a goal. To our backs credit they stood firm and withheld the bombardment and secure our first victory in the group stages of the County Championship since 2019.
County Senior Football Championship:
Our senior football side travel to Ballyagran this Saturday evening for round two of the County Senior Football Championship where south Limerick side Ballylanders will be our opponents. Both sides go into Saturday evening encounter following contrasting opening round results, we overcame Kildimo/Pallaskenry in dramatic fashion by a goal while Ballylanders went down to Ballysteen by five points on Saturday night and both sides will undoubtedly want to secure all important two points which will be vital if either side aspires of advancing to the knockout stages of the championship. County Championship encounters between the two sides have always been hotly contested affairs, the two clubs have not met in the championship since 2017, when the south Limerick men earned a dramatic victory with a late goal securing victory by the narrowest of margins. Each club flirted with relegation in 2021, with both winning their respective semi-final play offs to secure their senior status in 2022. Hopefully on Saturday night the lads can build on their performance from round 1 and come away with the victory which would put us in a healthy position as the football championship takes a break for a month for the commencement of the respective county hurling championships.
County Minor ‘B’ Hurling Championship Round 1:
St. Kieran’s 2.23 Caherline 3.14
Our minor hurlers made the long journey to east Limerick last week for the opening round of the County Championship against home side, Caherline in what was a high-scoring and highly entertaining encounter. Right from the off both teams played an excellent brand of attacking hurling which saw us take in a six-point lead at the interval, 2.9-16. As the second half progressed both sides gave an exhibition of shooting, with five minutes to go we lead by a solitary point, 2.18-3.14 and the home side pushed hard to get the decisive winning score we pushed hard and got the games final five scores to emerge victorious. Well done to the players and management team on a hard-fought and deserved win which has secured a place in the quarter final following a walkover from Pallasgreen this past Friday night.
Team vs Caherline: Nathan Cahill, Darragh McMahon, Shay Greaney, Killian Heffernan, Conor Kelly, Liam Scanlan, Cathal McEnery, Fionn Gleeson, Cormac Mann, James Normoyle, Mikey Long, Conor Woulfe, Cian Brennan, Sean Ryan, Conor Shanahan, Cathal O’ Connor, Tom McMahon
County Premier Minor Football Championship:
Our minor footballers get their county championship campaign underway this Monday evening when they travel to Castletroy to face off against home side Monaleen in the opening round of the county championship. Following a successful 2021 campaign which saw the team go undefeated en route to capturing the County Minor ‘A’ title for the first time since 2017 we make the step up to premier level where we have been drawn against Monaleen and fellow west Limerick side and perennial premier championship contenders, Fr. Casey’s. competition at premier level is always fierce and we will have to put in a strong performance on Monday night if we are to progress to the knockout stages of the championship. With only four of last years team overage this campaign and a number of new players emerging from the u17 ranks as well as a number of panel members playing important roles with our senior and junior teams so far this season there is great optimism that this group can have another successful season in 2022.
Ardagh Development Association & St Kierans GAA Club Lottery Draw
Results for Monday 4TH July 2022 as follows.
Jackpot €8400.00
Numbers Drawn
NO WINNER 8, 10, 13, 24,
Lucky Dips
€40 Richard Ambrose (Online)
€40 Pa Wilmott c/o D Greaney
€40 Mary Bennett Ardagh
€40 Maeve Enright Kilcorney Mallow (Online)
€40 Hannie O Connor c/o Josie
Next Draw Monday 11th July 2022 with a jackpot of €8500.00
Thank you for playing and for supporting our lotto. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.