St. Kierans GAA Club Notes:
County Junior ‘B’ Football Championship Final:
St. Kierans 1.19 Mungret/St. Pauls 0.6
Sunday November 3 was another proud day in the history of our club as our junior footballers captured a first adult football County Championship in thirty-four years by winning the County Junior ‘B’ Football Championship for the first time. For the fourth time this campaign and third time in a final we faced off against Mungret / St. Pauls with promotion to the Junior ‘A’ ranks in 2025 the prize on offer for the winner. Both sides fielded much changed starting fifteens from their last encounter in the County League final in June yet both teams came into the game full of confidence from their respective divisional and county championship campaigns. We came into the game with an undefeated record with our only blemish coming against Knockaderry in round 2 when there was no separating the two sides following sixty minutes of football. Mungret for their part had rebounded from an earlier championship defeat to Ballinacurra Gaels to defeat the same opposition in the city decider before subsequent County Championship wins over Galtee Gaels and Knockaderry. A good start is always vital in any final and it looked as if the City side would get off to the perfect start inside the opening minute when they pierced through the heart of our defence to create a goalscoring opportunity which was brilliantly saved not once but twice from goalkeeper Con Enright. If Mungret had taken these two early chances, then the game may well have taken a completely different pattern. Following Mungret’s early squandered opportunity we broke up the field at pace and Oisin Ryan got on the end of a well worked move to fire over the bar for the opening score of the game. Subsequent free’s from Luke Corrigan and Anthony Molyneaux before the game took a major turn on the eight minute as midfielder Jack O’ Sullivan made one of his customary runs through the centre of the defence to place the ball to the keepers left and double our lead and from here we never looked back as the team immediately grew in confidence. We began to gain a stranglehold on the game around the middle third with Donie Nolan and Jack Sullivan dominating in the middle of the field which Cathal McEnery and Fionn Gleeson beginning to win a lot of breaks from both kickouts which was a great source of possession. It would be the ninth minute before Mungret would open their account and were it not for some wayward shooting as well as pressure from our six backs they could well have increased their tally further. Up front we were beginning to create several scoring opportunities, and further scores came from inside forwards Luke Corrigan and Anthony Molyneaux while wing back Fionn Gleeson made a strong run forward to find himself in space to open his account with a well struck point. We could well have had a second goal, but the Mungret keeper did excellently to get out and smother Jack Harnett’s effort as he bore down on goal. Harnett’s efforts would be rewarded on the stroke of half time with an excellently point to ensure we led at the interval 1.8 to 0.2. Playing into the town end goal which has traditionally been known as the scoring goals in Askeaton we began the second half positively with four unanswered points to increase our tally as the city side began to tire the longer the game progressed. Luke Corrigan and Jack Harnett added to their personal tallies while the industrious Cathal McEnery opened his account for the afternoon. Mungret responded in the forty-first minute before Oisin Ryan got his second of the afternoon. As the half progressed the management began to make several substitutions which made a huge impact. Seamus Mangan was introduced for Ray Cahill just before half time, Ian Mackessy came in for Mike Upton, Shane Lynch for John Doyle and Shane Fitzgerald for Fionn Gleeson. As the game concluded the city side pushed hard to reduce the deficit and add to their tally but in the process often left themselves open on the counterattack. Further scores from Seamus Mangan, Donie Nolan and Oisin Commane before the final score of the game from Cathal McEnery ensured that the County Championship trophy would reside in Kieran’s for the coming twelve months. At the final whistle there was great satisfaction from the large Kieran’s crowd in attendance in what was an excellent team performance. Team captain James O’ Connor accepted the cup on behalf of the players and management team and thanked AK Desmond’s for having the field in excellent condition as always and paid tribute to the panel of players and management team as well as complimenting the Mungret side for their performances throughout the season. On a day in which there were many strong individual performances Donie Nolan was rewarded for his fine display in the middle of the field with the man of the match award. This recognition was richly deserving for a player who has given so much for the club at football and hurling level over the years and has come back from several career threatening injuries. Sunday’s victory is our first adult football County Championship title in thirty-four years. There have been numerous successes at underage and divisional level over the years but County Championship success at any level is hard earned and the players and management team deserve huge credit for their performances over the past two seasons which have yielded two West Junior ‘B’ Championships, a County League and County Championship. For players such as John Doyle, Johnny McCarthy and Anthony Molyneaux who have given years of service to the club at senior level it is fantastic to see their dedication to the club rewarded with championship success. Both Anthony and Johnny hold the distinction of now having won West and County Junior ‘B’ Football and Hurling Championships having been integral members of the St. Kieran’s team who won the West and County Junior ‘B’ Hurling championship in 2004.
Having a strong junior team is vital in the club as it acts as a link between underage and adult football and provides the perfect opportunity for players to get invaluable game time as they look to make the breakthrough into the senior team. The past two seasons have seen several younger players introduced into the Junior panel and getting their first taste of adult football as they make the step up from the minor ranks. Three minors’ started on Sunday, and each made important contributions which three more minor players played important roles throughout the campaign. Following Sunday’s victory, we will now make the step up to the Junior ‘A’ ranks in 2025 which will ensure that our players are playing at a higher standard and help to bridge the gap between Junior and Senior. It is fair to say that over the last number of years we have underachieved at this level. Over the past two seasons the management team of Noel Broderick, Patrick Windle, James Windle, Nicky Kelly and coaches Paudie McCarthy and Alan Daly have brought a great level of energy and professionalism to the group and instilled them with confidence that they can perform and win. While we make the step up to Junior ‘A’ in 2025 there is no doubt that several members of the panel have the ability to step up to senior level and play County Championship as several panel members from this season have already done. As a bonus of Sunday’s win, we will now have the opportunity to represent Limerick in the Munster Club Junior ‘B’ Football Championship which is hosted by Knockaderry GAA club. We will have further details fixture’s in the coming weeks. Congratulations once again to the panel of players and management team on a wonderful performance on Sunday. The celebrations are richly deserved.
Panel vs Mungret/St. Pauls Con Enright, Mike Upton, John Doyle, Michael Murphy, James O’ Connor, Johnny McCarthy, Fionn Gleeson, Jack O’ Sullivan, Donie Nolan, Cathal McEnery, Jack Harnett, Ray Cahill, Luke Corrigan, Oisin Ryan, Anthony Molyneaux, Seamus Mangan, Ian Mackessy, Shane Lynch, Shane Fitzgerald, Oisin Commane Tom McMahon , Jack Mulqueen, Dan Duggan, Bryan Sheahan, , Brian O’ Neill, Ben Cussen, Eamon Ambrose, Shay Greaney, Darragh O’ Connor, John O’ Connor, Cathal O’ Connor, Conor Woulfe, John Byrnes.
U20 Football:
The U20 footballers get their County Championship campaign underway this Saturday when they welcome Belville Gaels (Castlemahon & Feenagh / Kilmeedy) to Coolcappagh. We take part in the County ‘B’ Championship and are joined in group 1 alongside neighbours St. Senan’s and Ballybrown. Saturday’s game throws in at 2pm
St. Kierans GAA are getting men walking for Movember.
Billy Mann Coaching and Cormac Mann, in association with St. Kierans GAA are getting men walking for Movember.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings @ 7PM, we’re doing 12 laps of the ASTRO field to fundraise for the Movember Charity.
You can donate your change in the bucket at the field in the evenings you come or make a donation on our account in the Movember App. Just click on the link and follow the instructions.
Every day in Billy’s work with men, he sees the ever increasing need to address men’s mental health and bringing the community together is a great way of supporting each other.
Our fathers, partners, brothers and friends are dying too young. The fund you donate to are taking on some of the biggest issues affecting men’s health.
Movember addresses the challenges that impact men’s lives, such as mental health and suicide prevention
Prostate cancer
Testicular cancer
To round off the month, Billy will give a public talk about mental health in the hall in Ardagh and everyone is invited.
So ladies, let’s get your men moving. Please let them know this is happening.
https://ie.movember.com/mospace/14661980?utm_medium=app&utm_source=ios&utm_campaign=share-mospace
Ardagh Development Association & St Kierans GAA Club Lottery Draw:
Results for Monday 4th November 2024 as follows.
Jackpot €7600.00. Numbers were 2, 6, 13, 15. No Winner
Lucky Dips
€40 Ann Mullins The Cross
€40 Lorraine Walsh Ardagh
€40 John Murphy Knockaderry
€40 Hughie O Mahony Ardagh
€40 S.D.E.L.S.J c/o Josie
Next Draw Monday 11th November 2024 with a jackpot of €7700.00
Thank you for playing and for supporting our lotto.