ST. KIERAN’S
2022 Munster Senior Football Championship Final:
This Saturday afternoon Limerick senior footballers make the journey to Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney to take on Kerry in their first Munster Final appearance since the 2010 decider. If Limerick are to be victorious on Saturday afternoon, they will certainly have achieved success the hard way having been on the road for all three of their championship encounters to date. In the Munster quarter-final Limerick secured a dramatic and historic penalty shootout victory over Clare in Ennis before making the long journey to Semple Stadium, Thurles where they comfortably saw off the challenge of 2020 champions Tipperary by six points. Kerry for their part go into Saturday’s game as raging hot favourites having eventually swept aside the challenge of fierce rivals Cork three weeks ago in their semi final encounter in Pairc Uí Rínn and with the Allianz League Division 1 and McGrath Cup titles already secured this spring will have their sights firmly set on adding the Munster Championship to their 2022 trophy haul. Limerick equally go into the game buoyed from two excellent championship victories off the back of an outstanding National League game which saw them secure promotion to Division 2 in 2023 where they will meet football powerhouses such as Leinster finalists Dublin and Kildare and Ulster Finalists Derry amongst others. There is no doubt that Saturday’s game will be a huge step up in opposition for Limerick but one that Limerick should revel in as these are the games that players want to challenge themselves in. All of St. Kieran’s is immensely proud to have two members of the Limerick panel in Darragh Treacy and Liam Kennedy involved on Saturday. Darragh is a trojan worker in the engine room of midfield for Limerick who puts in a huge amount of work each game and is now highly regarded as one of the top midfielders in the country. 2022 has seen Liam make the breakthrough into the Limerick senior squad after an excellent underage career at minor and u21 level and hopefully in the coming years he can force his way into playing contention. The last time the two sides met in the Munster decider was 2010 in Killarney when Kerry came away with the win by three points in a high scoring encounter, 1.17-1.14. On that occasion both Johnny McCarthy and Jim O’ Donovan were part of the Limerick side, with Johnny lining out at full-back and Jim at midfield. We would encourage all club members to make the journey to Killarney on Saturday and lend your support to Darragh, Liam and all their Limerick teammates as they look to make history. It is a fantastic honour for St. Kieran’s to continue to produce footballers of intercounty standard and to once again have players involved in a Limerick senior football panel contesting a Munster final. We would like to extend our best wishes to manager Billy Lee and his management team of coach Adrian O’ Brien, selectors Shane Kelly, Seamus O’ Donnell and Maurice Horan. Hopefully they can put in a massive performance and come away with another historic victory.
West Intermediate Hurling League Round 5:
St. Kieran’s 2.13 Kileedy 1.19
We welcomed Kileedy to Coolcappagh on Saturday evening for the final round of the West League in what was a highly entertaining game between two sides that made the knockout stages of last seasons County Junior ‘A’ Hurling championship. We trailed by five points at the interval, 1.12 -1.7 with first half scores coming from Ian Mackessy with five from frees, Danny Collum, James Muckell and a Michael Murphy goal. We began the second half
brightly with an early James Muckell goal reducing the deficit to two points inside the opening five minutes of the second half. The sides were all square mid-way through the half, 2.10 to 1.13, with Ian Mackessy increasing his personal tally to 0.7 while wing back Cathal McEnery also opened his account. As the game concluded both sides pushed hard for the decisive score to finish off their league campaigns on a winning note. With ten minutes to go we went into the ascendency thanks to a Johnny McCarthy point. Unfortunately, four late Kileedy points saw them take the spoils and secure a three-point victory to finish off their league campaign on a winning note. Despite the loss we played some excellent passages of hurling throughout the hour and there is plenty of optimism as we look forward to the upcoming county championship campaign. Many new players have got their first taste of Junior ‘A’ hurling and with the return of several first team players back into the fold ahead of the championship competition for places will be fierce ahead of our opening county championship game against Askeaton.
West Junior ‘A’ Football League:
St. Kieran’s 2.15 St. Senan’s 0.5
The Junior Footballers continued their winning run and secured a place in the West League semi-final on Tuesday evening last with a comfortable away victory over near neighbours St. Senan’s in Foynes. Without the services of several players due to injury and upcoming state examinations it provided a number of players with much valued game time, and they took advantage of the opportunity to see off the Senan’s challenge playing some excellent attacking football throughout the hour. In our final group game, we face off against reigning West and County Champions Granagh/Ballingarry where the winner will secure top spot in the group and play the fourth ranked team in the semi-final. Well done to the players and management team on another excellent victory.
Team vs St. Senan’s
Ian Mackessy, Eamon Ambrose, Shane Fitzgerald, Cillian Heffernan, James O’ Connor, Anthony Mullins, Michael Upton, Cormac Mann, Mike Flynn, Liam Upton, Anthony Molyneaux, Brian Crowley, Michael Long, John Doyle, Conor Woulfe, John O’ Connor, Brian O’ Neill.
South Junior ‘B’ Hurling League:
St. Kieran’s 1.16 Crecora 3.13
St. Kieran’s 1.7 Knockainey 4.16
Our Junior ‘B’ Hurling side were in action twice this past week in the South League, on Thursday we travelled to Crecora to take on the home side with a very youthful side. After a highly entertaining and keenly contested sixty minutes of hurling it was the home side who emerged victorious by a goal. Despite the loss the lads put in an excellent performance, and it is evident with each game that huge improvements are being made. On Sunday evening we welcomed Knockainey to Coolcappagh for our penultimate league. After a strong opening half in which we trailed 1.8 to 1.14 the south Limerick side, containing a number of players who have operated at Senior and Premier Intermediate level showed their quality and experience to pull away in the second period. In our final group game, we welcome Effin to Coolcappagh this Thursday evening at 7.30
Team vs Crecora:
Liam Ward, Brian O’ Neill, Billy Breen, William Steele, Edward Fitzgerald, Mikey Breen, James O’ Connor, Sean Ryan, Conor Woulfe, Danny Collum, Cillian Ambrose, Cathal O’ Connor, Kieran Copse, Tony Doyle, Padraig Balfe, Michael Murphy, Michael Steele, Oisin Hallihan, Jack Enright, Kevin Meade, Kevin Meade, Ray Cahill, James Woulfe, Donal Balfe
Team vs Knockainey:
Liam Ward, Brian O’ Neill, Billy Breen, Edward Fitzgerald, William Steele, Mikey Breen, James O’ Connor, Mike Long, Conor Woulfe, Anthony Mullins, Michael Murphy, Jack Enright, Kieran Copse, Tony Doyle, Padraig Balfe, , Cillian Heffernan, Noel Kelly, James Woulfe, Donal Balfe
Ardagh Development Association & St Kieran’s GAA Club Lottery Draw
Results for Monday 23rd May 2022 as follows.
Jackpot €7800.00
Numbers Drawn 1, 10, 26, 30
NO WINNER
Lucky Dips
€40 Peig O Connor The Commons (Online)
€40 Ivan Neary (Online)
€40 Nancy Barrett c/o Moloneys
€40 Theresa Downey
€40 Tanya Saharova Ballyhahill (Online)
Next Draw Monday 30th May 2022 with a jackpot of €7900.00
Thank you for playing and for supporting our lotto. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.