St. Kierans GAA Club Notes:
County Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 1:
St. Kieran’s 1.19 Knockainey 2.16
The intermediate hurlers got their championship campaign underway on Thursday evening as we travelled to Clarina to take on Knockainey in the opening round. We fielded a youthful side featuring two championship debutants in Eoghan Sheehan at midfield and Conor McMahon at centre forwards who both performed admirably in their first championship outings. The south Limerick side adopting a possession-based approach got off to a blistering start find the back of our net twice inside the opening four minutes of the game and it looked as if we would be in for a long evening. Despite our slow start we worked our way back into the game as we upped the ante around the middle third of the field matching Knockainey’s physicality in this area. Seasoned campaigner Donie Nolan opened his championship account with an excellent score which settled the early nerves before subsequent scores from free taker Jack O’ Sullivan would help eat into the Knockainey lead. despite some challenging moments in the opening quarter the full back line soon got to grips with the pacy Knockainey inside line. Possession was keenly contested around the middle third of the field with both sides fighting tooth and nail for primary ball and scores from play were hard earned for either side. Knockainey would stretch their lead to six once more before a first championship point from Conor McMahon and Ian Mackessy would reduce our deficit. Subsequent long range frees from Cillian Ambrose would ensure that we went in at the interval only trailing by two points, 2.7 to 0.11 and given our disappointing start it was an excellent turnaround. Despite playing against the elements in the second half we were confident in the fact we had weathered the early storm and were matching the Knockainey side physically throughout the field. While possession was hard earned within the scoring zone we went score for score with the southern side in the second half thanks to scores from Cillian Ambrose, Jack O’ Sullivan and the ever-potent Donie Nolan and we would take the lead for the first time on the 43rd minute. Subsequent free’s from Knockainey would see them tie up the game going down the final stretch in what had been a pulsating encounter. As the final whistle approached both sides fought hard for the decisive winning score to secure all important two points. Alas there was to be no winner for either side and after 65 minutes of hard entertaining hurler there would be no separating the two sides at the final whistle. While both sides will feel they could and should have won the game the point was hard earned and richly deserved for two evenly matched sides. We now move forward to round two with optimism as we face off against Na Piarsaigh on Sunday afternoon. In their opening round game this past weekend they drew with Feohanagh while in the other game in group 2 Murroe / Boher saw off the challenge of fellow east Limerick side Pallasgreen by six points.
Team Cillian Ambrose, Shay Greaney, Jack Harnett, Mossie Shine, Sean Long, Brendan McCarthy, Fionn Gleeson, Eoghan Sheehan, Cathal McEnery, Ian Mackessy, Conor McMahon, Michael Long, Donie Nolan, Jack O’ Sullivan, Derry O’ Connor, Cormac Mann, Cathal O’ Connor, Mike Breen, Anthony Mullins, Anthony Molyneaux, Bryan Sheehan.
County Senior Football Championship Round 1:
St. Kierans v Galtee Gaels
Tuesday August 12
Ballyagran @7pm
The senior footballers get their 2025 County Senior Football Championship campaign underway on Tuesday evening next as they travel to Ballyagran to take on Galtee Gaels. Preparations have been ongoing with several challenge games since the conclusion of the league campaign which saw us win three of our five group games to advance to the West Semi final before bowing out to 2024 County Champions Adare in the West Semi Final. After a promising start to the 2024 County Championship which saw us win our opening two games against Ballylanders and Monaleen we would experience three successive defeats to Na Piarsaigh, Adare and Mungret / St. Pauls to bow out at the group stage. With a full panel available for selection hopefully we can put in a strong performance on Tuesday night against a Galtee Gaels side who contested the County Semi-Final in 2024 and like ourselves will be determined to get their 2025 campaign off to a winning start. Given the competitive nature of the championship, it is vital that we get off to a winning start if we are to aspire to advancing to the knockout stages for the first time since 2022. The two sides last met in the County Championship in 2022, on that occasion we came away with an eight-point victory but are under no illusions that we face a huge challenge against the south Limerick side backboned by three members of the Limerick senior football squad. Games between the two sides are always hotly contested encounters and hopefully we can put in a strong performance on Tuesday to get our championship campaign off to winning start. We are joined in group 2 with neighbours Newcastlewest who overcame Mungret / St. Pauls in the opening round and Kildimo / Pallaskenry who enjoyed a comprehensive victory over Ballylanders in their round 1 encounter. We will have live updates on our social media pages and WhatsApp updates group throughout for those unable to attend.
Fixtures:
· 10/8/2025 County Intermediate Hurling Championship Round 2 – St. Kieran’s vs Na Piarsaigh – Askeaton – 2pm
· 12/8/2025 County Senior Football Championship Round 1 – St. Kieran’s vs Galtee Gaels – Ballyagran – 7p,
· County Junior ‘C’ Hurling Championship Round 1 – St. Kieran’s vs Askeaton / Ballysteen / Kilcornan – Time and date to be confirmed.
Ardagh Development Association & St Kierans GAA Club Lottery Draw:
Results for Monday 4th August 2025 as follows.
Jackpot €8000.00
Numbers Drawn: 7, 9, 12, 30
NO WINNER
Lucky Dips
€40 Alma O Sullivan Ardagh
€40 Noreen Kiely Carrigkerry
€40 Cian Magner Flynn c/o Dawn
€40 David Woulfe Ardagh
€40 John O Mahony Ardagh
Next Draw 11th August 2025 with a jackpot of €8100.00.