St. Kierans GAA Club Notes:

St. Kierans 3.14 Monaleen 2.9

Round 2 of the County Senior Football Championship took place on Saturday afternoonas we travelled to Adare to take on Monaleen. Historically our record against Monaleen in the Championship has been very disappointing but it was evident that there is great confidence emerging within the panel following an emphatic opening round victory. We made one change to the team who disposed of Ballylanders in round 1 with Cormac Mann stepping in for the suspended Noel Callanan in the half forward line. Played in excellent underfoot conditions in the redeveloped surface in Adare we got off to an excellent start with Alan Daly opening our account inside the opening moments with a close range free. Daly would double his tally from a mark following a Monaleen goal which was a major disappointment from our perspective. We found it difficult to deal with Monaleen for much of the opening half, finding it extremely difficult to break down their mass defence despite some well worked attacks with both Alan Daly and Eoin McEnery in the inside line looking dangerous. Monaleen soon raced into the ascendency thanks to five unanswered first half points and could count themselves unlucky not to have a second first half goal. A John Hayes free got us on the board once more to reduce our deficit before a vital moment in the game. Alan Daly was fouled inside the penalty area and John Hayes stood up to put the ball past the despairing Monaleen keeper to reduce the deficit to three as the half time whistle approached. A late Alan Daly left the scoreline 1.6 to 1.4 to the Castletroy side having led by six points midway through the half. Spurred on by our late first half revival there was a growing confidence within the players as the took the field for the second half. Sean Long replaced the injured Anthony Mullins at half back with Dylan Moloney entering the play for Mossie Shine and had an immediate impact on the game as we soon raced into the lead with four unanswered points of our own from Liam Kennedy, Dylan Moloney x2 and Alan Daly all from play.  The foundation of the victory was undoubtedly laid around the middle third with John Hayes, Darragh Treacy and Liam Kennedy upping their performance in the second half, Kennedy in particular putting in an outstanding performance of high fielding and direct running while team captain Darragh Treacy and John Hayes managed the game brilliantly and secured several excellent turnovers. Two Monaleen frees tied up the game at 1.8 apiece before points from Alan Daly and Eoin McEnery helped us regain the lead. Monaleen punished a lapse in concentration on our part as we coughed up possession and punished in the harshest possible way as they found the back of the net for the second time. To our lads credit they didn’t drop their heads following Monaleen’ s second goal and Eoin McEnery added his second point as we once again reclaimed the lead. Killian Heffernan was introduced for Michael Long making his championship debut, the third player to do so this campaign. As the final whistle fast approached we pushed hard against our city opponents and our perseverance was rewarded when we were awarded our second penalty of the game. Once again John Hayes stepped up to the mark this time sending the Monaleen keeper the opposite direction and now the game was ours for the taking. Eoin McEnery added his third point of the game, now brimming with confidence before Alan Daly got on the end of an excellent team move to palm the ball into the back of the net for our third and final goal. A final point from Dylan Moloney ensured that at the final whistle we came away with an eleven-point victory over last season County Semi Finalists. With two championship victories from two games and playing an excellent brand of fast attacking football we move into the break in the championship with four points and are joined at the top of the group by Mungret/ St. Pauls who have got off to a flying start in their return to the senior ranks with two excellent victories over Na Piarsaigh and Adare. The football championship now takes a six-week break before round three as attention turns towards the County Intermediate Hurling Championship which begins in four weeks’ time. We have put ourselves in an excellent position to qualify for the knockout stages but with three tough tests against Na Piarsaigh, Adare and Mungret/St. Pauls there is much work to be done if we aspire of advancing. Well done to the players and management team on their two performances to date hopefully we can maintain this form in the rounds ahead. Finally wishing Darragh McMahon a speedy recovery following a shoulder injury he sustained in the opening moments of the game which saw him having to leave the field of play. Panel vs Monaleen: Ray Noonan, Mike Shanahan, Diarmuid Mulcahy, Darragh McMahon, Mossie Shine, Brendan McCarthy, Anthony Mullins, Darragh Treacy, Liam Kennedy, Cormac Mann, John Hayes, Michael Long, Alan Daly, Adam Lacey, Eoin McEnery, Dylan Moloney, Sean Long, Donie Nolan, Jack O’ Sullivan Oisin Ryan, Luke Corrigan, Shane Fitzgerald, Jack Mulqueen, Bryan Sheehan, Noel Callanan.

St. Kierans 3.14 St. Senans 0.10

The Junior footballers got the defence of their West title off to a winning start with an emphatic victory over neighbours St. Senans. Fielding a team filled with youth and experience we welcomed Johnny McCarthy back to the field of play for the first time this season and it was evident from very early on of the huge influence he had on the game but also the positive influence on our younger players. Goals from Oisin Ryan x2 and Dan Duggan were the catalyst for victory on the night with further strong performances from Anthony Molyneaux, Fionn Gleeson and Oisin Commane.

Team vs St. Senans: Con Enright, Michael Murphy, Ian Mackessy, Ben Cussen, Mike Upton, Johnny McCarthy, Killian Heffernan, Jack O’ Sullivan, Donie Nolan, Fionn Gleeson, Cathal McEnery, Jack Mulqueen, Luke Corrigan, Oisin Ryan, Anthony Molyeaux, Shane Fitzgerald, Dan Duggan, Shane Lynch, Oisin Commane, John Byrnes, Bryan Sheehan.

A much-changed St. Kieran’s side travelled to Foynes on Monday evening for round 2 of the West Championship where Knockaderry were our opponents. Both sides had comprehensive opening round victories over St. Senans and Glin respectively and having met in last seasons West decider there was always going to be very little between the two sides. We held the slightest of advantages at half time, 0.5 -0.4 having got off to a slow start trailing by two points inside the opening minutes but to the lads credit they recovered well showing the depth that’s within the panel. Knockaderry to their credit upped their performance in the second half but we could well have had a number of goals throughout the game with the post proving to be our enemy during the hour. As the final whistle approached Knockaderry held the lead before another late point saw us tie up the game and take home a share of the points in what was another promising performance against one of the best teams in the championship.

Team vs Knockaderry Con Enright, Oisin Ryan, John O’ Connor, Ben Cussen, Mike Upton, Johnny McCarthy, Fionn Gleeson, Jack O’ Sullivan, Donie Nolan, Cathal McEnery, Darragh O’ Connor, Ray Cahill, Luke Corrigan, Anthony Molyneaux, Oisin Commane, Cathal Daly, Jack Harnett, Dan Duggan.

The minor footballers got their County Championship campaign off to a winning start on Wednesday evening with a hard-fought victory over neighbours Newcastle West.  We led at the interval with a late Newcastle West goal on the stroke of half time reducing our lead to a single point having played some excellent football in the opening half despite it being our first competitive game of the season as a team. Despite this it was evident that all players were up to match pace following u16, u17 junior and senior games in recent weeks. We began the second half brightly, Sean Long could count himself unlucky not to have found the back of the net having cut through the heart of the Newcastle West defence only to be denied by a remarkable save by the outstanding Newcastle West goalkeeper. We soon found the back of the net when Bryan Sheehan scrambled the ball into the net in what would prove to be the decisive score of the game. As always Kieran’s / Newcastle West game are hotly contested and as the final whistle approached Newcastle West pushed hard for the decisive third goal to tie up the game but to our lads credit they held firm under pressure to come away with a deserved three-point win ahead of round 2 this Sunday against Shannon Gaels / Athea. Team vs Newcastle West Cian Mulcahy, Ben Cussen, Conor McMahon, Chris Kiely, Jack Dowling, Sean Long, Mikey Kelly, Charlie McMahon, Jack O’ Sullivan, Bryan Sheehan, Oisin Ryan, Eoghan Sheehan, Luke Corrigan, Oisin Commane, Tadgh Dineen, Cathal Daly, David O’ Connell, Gearoid Walsh, Eoghan Commane, Jake Lynch, Luke Mulcahy, Conor Sheahan.

Wednesday July 10: County Minor ‘B’ Hurling Championship Round 1 vs Cappamore in Coolcappagh @ 7.30

Sunday July 14: County Minor ‘A’ Football Championship Round 2 vs Shannon Gaels / Athea in Coolcappagh @ 7.30

Results for Monday 8th July 2024.

Jackpot €5900

Numbers Drawn 1, 9, 20, 27

NO WINNER

Lucky Dips

€40 Caroline Harnett Ardagh

€40 Tom Galvin Ardagh

€40 Holly, Joe, Adam & William Steele NCW

€40 Mike O Mara Coolcappagh

€40 Angela Enright Ardagh

Next Draw Monday 15th July 2024 with a jackpot of €6000.00.