St Kierans GAA Club Notes:

The senior footballers return to championship action on Friday eveningfollowing two rounds of Intermediate Hurling championship when they make the short journey to Athea to take on near neighbours Newcastlewest in round 3. Both sides come into the round 3 encounter with perfect records following two wins from their two championship games to date. Newcastlewest overcame Mungret / St. Pauls in the opening round before emphatically seeing off the challenging of Kildimo / Pallaskenry last day out. Following a delayed start to the championship we overcame Galtee Gaels in round one despite trailing at the interval before recording our second win in a week by seeing off the challenge of another south Limerick side, Ballylanders in round 2. Games between St. Kieran’s and Newcastlewest are always hotly contested encounters between the fiercest of rivals. Friday nights game promises to be another highly entertaining game. Undoubtedly, we face a huge step up in competition against a Newcastlewest side who are littered with intercounty experience and have been one of the dominant teams in the championship for the past decade so we will have to put in our strongest performance to date to get a result. Friday’s game throws in at 6.15.

The junior footballers are back in championship action following a long break on Saturday as they take on Monaleen in round 3. Disappointingly we had no game in round 2 as we received a walkover from Fedamore so our last championship outing came in round 1 where we comprehensively saw off the challenge of St. Patrick’s. The city side also received a walkover from Fedamore in the opening round and were defeated by Hospital / Herbertstown in round 2 so will be determined to get their championship campaign back on track on Saturday afternoon. Saturday’s game throws in at 5pm in Crecora.

Friday September 5th – County Senior Football Championship – St. Kierans v Newcastle West in Athea at 6.15pm

Saturday September 6th – County Junior ‘A’ Football Championship – St. Kierans v Monaleen in Crecora at 5pm

St. Kierans 0.15 Feohanagh/Castlemahon 2.16

The intermediate hurlers returned to championship action on Friday nightfollowing the disappointment of the late draw against Pallasgreen the previous Saturday afternoon. Our opponents Feohanagh came into the game following a three-point victory and knew another win would help secure qualification. With two draws from our opening three games victory was vital if we had aspirations of qualification for the knockout stages given the competitive nature of group 2. Feohanagh got off to an excellent start and we found ourselves chasing the game inside the opening quarter as our opponents found scoring opportunities much easier to come by. Despite our slow start we put in an excellent final quarter to reduce our early deficit thanks to scores from Donie Nolan, Ian Mackessy and seven Jack O’ Sullivan frees to ensure that we only trailed by two points at the interval. We began the second half brightly and we quickly trailed by a point. We were dealt a major blow when scorer of two opening half points Donie Nolan was withdrawn due to injury. Feohanagh found the back of the net for the second time mid-way through the half and from here it was going to be very challenging to get back into the game against the lively Feohanagh forward unit. We continued to find scoring opportunities difficult to create against the Feohanagh defensive unit. Despite this, points from Conor McMahon now operating at full forward and offering a physical presence at the edge of the square and free taker Jack O’ Sullivan increased our tally. As we entered the final ten minutes our opponents continued to put us under pressure and at the final whistle there would be seven points separating the two sides. Following our second loss of the championship we bow out of the championship in the group phase with one game remaining against pre-championship favourites Murroe / Boher who have won their four championship games to date. Team v Feohanagh Cillian Ambrose, Shay Greaney, Jack Harnett, Mossie Shine, Fionn Gleeson, Brendan McCarthy, Sean Long, Eoghan Sheehan, Cathal McEnery, Ian Mackessy, Sean Ryan, Conor McMahon, Donie Nolan, Eoin McEnery, Jack O’ Sullivan, Cormac Mann, Michael Long, Cathal O’ Connor, Conor Woulfe, Aaron Heffernan, James O’ Connor, Derry O’ Connor, Mikey Breen, Bryan Sheehan, Cillian Meade, Edward Fitzgerald.

St. Kierans 1.13 Doon 1.17

The junior hurlers made the long journey to east Limerick on Sunday evening to take on Doon in round 3 of the Championship. Remarkably the east Limerick club are fielding their fourth adult side given their large playing base as they also boast Senior (2024 County Senior Hurling Champions), Premier Junior and Junior ‘B’ Hurling sides. We fielded a much-changed side from the one who put in an excellent performance to see off the challenge of Adare in round 2 and came up a very strong home side who contained several players with senior club and county experience within their ranks. We put in an excellent opening half performance and went in a point up at the interval following points from Jonathan Ruttle, Conor Woulfe, Limerick masters player Tony Doyle, Oisin Ryan, Oisin Commane and a Michael Upton goal. Given their strength in depth Doon upped their second half performance and they soon reduced their deficit and took the lead. from here we began to find it increasingly difficult to get on the scoreboard despite the best efforts of the entire team. At the final whistle the east Limerick side would emerge with a four-point win to earn their second championship win of the season. Despite the loss we can take encouragement from the game. our starting fifteen showed eight changes from the win over Adare and when we have a full team at our disposal there is no doubt, we are very competitive. Next up in round 4 we welcome Crecora to Ardagh on September 14th. Team v Doon Mike Steele, James Woulfe, Mike Breen, Dan Duggan, William Steele, Aaron Heffernan, Edward Fitzgerald, James O’ Connor, Conor Woulfe, Oisin Commane, Jonathan Ruttle, Charlie McMahon, Mike Upton, Tony Doyle, Oisin Ryan, Brian O’ Neill, Conor Kelly, Billy Breen, Luke Corrigan.

Best wishes to Anthony Molyneaux and John Doyle who are members of the Limerick Master Football panel who take on London this Saturday in the All-Ireland Challenge Cup Final in Dublin. Tony Doyle was a member of the Limerick Hurling panel who were narrowly beaten by Galway last week in the All-Ireland Hurling final.