ST KIERAN’S GAA
Pitch Development Fundraiser Launch
We will be holding our new pitch development fundraising launch on Friday night next, September 30 in Ardagh Hall at 8pm. This is the first fundraising step in this exciting new pitch project for the club. On the night The Liam McCarthy cup and several Limerick Senior Hurlers and Footballers will be in attendance. Refreshments will also be served. Everyone is welcome to come along and we would encourage all club members to attend on Friday evening for what is a very exciting step for the club with our new pitch development on the horizon.
County Senior Football Championship Quarter Final:
Our senior footballers return to knockout football on Saturday afternoon when they make the journey south for the County Senior Football Championship Quarter Final against city side Monaleen. Both sides go into the game off the back of competitive group stages of the championship. We finished second in group 2 on seven points with victories over Kildimo/Pallaskenry, Ballylanders and Galtee Gaels, a draw with rivals Ballysteen before a final round loss to 2021 County Championship runners up Adare. Monaleen for their part got their championship campaign off to the worst possible start losing their opening two encounters to Newcastlewest and Fr. Casey’s before finishing strongly to secure three successive wins over Oola, Galbally and Claughaun to secure their quarter final berth this weekend. Our last championship meeting took place during the covid effected championship in 2020, on that occasion it was the Castletroy side who emerged with the honours. Both sides contain a mix of youthful exuberance and experience. Many of our side would have been part of our u21 side who overcame Monaleen last season in the U21 County Championship and can use this victory to inspire confidence ahead of this weekend’s encounter. Saturday’s game is a big game for the club as we return to the knockout stages of the championship for the first time since the 2019 semi-final. The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the County Semi final the following weekend where group winners Newcastlewest and Adare await. Throw in in Bruff is at 4pm. Your support is greatly appreciated.
County Senior Football Championship Round 5:
St. Kieran’s 2.8 Adare 1.15
Croagh provided the venue on Saturday evening for the much-anticipated winner takes all encounter between two sides who haven’t faced off since the 2015 County Championship. We played with the assistance of the breeze in the opening half, but it was the men from the banks of the Maigue who got off to the better start before John Hayes opened our account with a well struck point off his trusted right boot. Despite our slow start we worked our way back into the game and trailed by two points inside fifteen minutes with two further scores from placed balls from Dylan Moloney. We could well have been in the lead, but Liam Kennedy’s effort was excellently saved by the Adare keeper to deny us. At the back the potent Adare forward line were causing several problems but to the lads’ credit they gave goalkeeper Anthony Molyneaux excellent cover. Molyneaux himself was a great source of calmness throughout the game as the last line of defence and even found himself out the field on occasion starting several our attacks. At the half time interval, we trailed 7-6 with further
scores coming from a Liam Kennedy mark, Noel Callanan and a John Hayes free. Adare now playing with the assistance of the wind got their second half off to a flying start and soon raced into a five-point lead with four unanswered points increasing their tally to five. It appeared as if our favours had turned as John Hayes found Liam Kennedy at the edge of the square to fist the ball past the Adare keeper and the deficit was back to two points. Now back in the game we were dealt a hammer blow as Adare punished us almost immediately when they found the back of our net almost instantaneously and their lead was back to five. From here we found it increasingly difficult to breakdown their well-organised defence. As the game concluded Adare began to use all their experience and now led by eight points and it would prove increasingly difficult for us to get back into the game. With the final whistle approaching and trailing by eight we were awarded a penalty, unfortunately Dylan Moloney’s effort went over the crossbar and our deficit was down to seven. Liam Kennedy got his second goal of the game as he got on the end of an Adam Lacey pass across the square to find the back of the net once again. At the final whistle Adare emerged victorious with four points to spare on a night. As a result Adare top group 2 while we finish second and meet Monaleen who finished third in group 1 in this Saturday’s quarter final.
County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship
Following a perfect group stage, the Junior ‘A’ Hurlers have been drawn against Kilteely/Dromkeen in the Quarter Final of the County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship. Having secured top spot with five wins from five we now look forward to a much-anticipated clash against the east Limerick side who enjoyed the spoils in 2021 when the two clubs met in the second round of the championship. Kilteely/Dromkeen will no doubt go into the last eight encounter buoyed from their dramatic last round victory over Tournafulla who had been looking to bounce straight back up to the intermediate ranks following relegation last season. From our perspective morale is very high within the group following an excellent group campaign which saw the team play an excellent brand of hurling as well as adding depth to panel. Currently, we don’t have fixture confirmation. We will update club members in the coming week.
Ardagh Development Association & St Kieran’s GAA Club Lottery Draw
Results for Monday 26th September 2022 as follows.
Jackpot €9600.00
Numbers Drawn 2, 8, 12, 17
NO WINNER
Lucky Dips
€40 Jayden & Phillip O Connor c/o Moloneys
€40 Paudie Kenneally c/o Josie
€40 Angela Doyle c/o Ita Kirk
€40 Aisling McEnery Skehanagh (Online)
€40 Theresa McMahon (Online)
Next Draw Monday 3rd October 2022 with a jackpot of €9700.00
Thank you for playing and for supporting our lotto. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.