ST KIERAN’S
County Senior Football Championship Round 4
St. Kieran’s 1.8 Ballysteen 2.5
The Bog Garden, Rathkeale was the venue on Sunday evening for the keenly contested encounter between ourselves and local rivals Ballysteen. Following the results from the previous nights games we were guaranteed a place in the knockout stages of the championship regardless of the result and a point was required to ensure second place in the group. Played in humid conditions we began the game the brighter of the two sides registering the games opening score. Games between the two clubs are always hard fought and low scoring encounters and Sunday’s game was no different with both sides ensuring that they maintained their solid defensive structure throughout the hour with possession being the order of the day. Both sides played the percentages in the opening half with each side eager to keep possession of the ball as much as possible and also equally guilty of kicking several wides. At the half time interval there was no separating either side as we were deadlocked on three points apiece with our scores coming from Darragh Treacy and Dylan Moloney. Ballysteen made an excellent start to the second half registering the game’s opening goal which could have proved decisive. From here the men from the banks of the Shannon Estuary began to enjoy a period of dominance and it looked as if our early good work would be to no avail. An excellently struck point from John Hayes reduced the deficit before he sides were all square again. Free taker Dylan Moloney kept us in the game with another excellently struck score to bring the game back to two. As the final quarter approached Ballysteen led by the slightest of margins. With the goal at our mercy following a powerful run from Darragh Treacy which pierced through the heart of the defence his slip pass to his Limerick senior colleague looked as if it was heading to the net but for a last gasp stop from the oncoming Ballysteen defence. The game was soon level when second half substitute Cormac Mann cut through from the left-hand side to coolly slot the ball over the Ballysteen crossbar and momentum had now swung our way. Noel Callanan then finely fisted the ball over the cross bar as we took the lead for the first time in the half. When Callanan broke through the defence late on with the goal once again at our mercy his shot rattled the post only to find the waiting Moloney who found the back of the net and we now had a four-point lead. To Ballysteen’s credit they didn’t throw in the towel as they fought tooth and nail in the dying moments to keep their championship aspirations for 2022 alive. A late point reduced their deficit to a goal. Subsequently they won possession once again and worked the ball inside our 21 where the potent Cillian Ferris once again as he has done on numerous occasions pounced to fire the ball into the back of the net to tie up the game. Following an off the ball altercation Ballysteen were reduced to fourteen men and we now held the numerical advantage with the final whistle approaching. Both sides pushed for a winner but as was the case throughout the hour defence once again won out and both sides had to settle for a point apiece. As a result, we are guaranteed to finish at least second place in the group. At present Adare sit top of the group on eight points with four wins from four while we are second on seven, also unbeaten with three wins and a draw from our four championship outings to date. We meet Adare in our final group game where a win for either club will secure direct advancement into the County semi-final. If we don’t beat Adare, we will finish the group phase in second position and face the winner of Monaleen or Claughaun in the county quarter final. Well done to the
players and management team for ensuring that we progress to the knockout stages for the first time since 2019.
County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship Round 3:
The Junior ‘A’ Hurlers return to championship action following two weeks of senior football championship when they make the journey to nearby Askeaton for round 3 of the County Championship where city division side Ballybrown will be our opponents. With two wins from two from our opening two games morale is high within the group but another strong performance is required on Friday night if we are to progress to the latter stages of the championship. While we go into Friday’s game with two wins from two our opponents Ballybrown go into the game with contrasting fortunes having experienced a heavy opening round defeat at the hands of Feenagh/Kilmeedy before pushing Mungret/St. Pauls to the pin of their collar in round 2 suffering defeat by the slenderest of margins in a much-improved display. Over the past decade or so Ballybrown have been one of the standard-bearers at premier underage level and have built up quite a wealth of underage talent and will no doubt be intent on getting their championship aspirations back on track this Friday evening. From our perspective another win would go a long way in helping us secure qualification once again to the county quarter finals but nothing short of a top-class performance will be required if we are to secure the win. Friday evening’s game throws in at the earlier time of 6pm in Askeaton with the autumn evenings fast approaching. We will have live updates on our WhatsApp updates group and twitter throughout the game.
Ardagh Development Association & St Kierans GAA Club Lottery Draw
Results for Monday 29th August 2022 as follows.
Jackpot €9200.00
Numbers Drawn 2, 10,15, 26,
NO WINNER
Lucky Dips
€40 Pat Moran Ardagh (Online)
€40 Deirdre Ambrose (Online)
€40 Tom Harnett Ardagh
€40 Cormac Behan (Online)
€40 Mary Harnett Ardagh
Next Draw Monday 05th September 2022 with a jackpot of €9300.00
Thank you for playing and for supporting our lotto. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.