CITY CHAMPIONS! Kildimo/Pallaskenry 2-05 Crecora/Manister 0-6. Our junior footballers were victorious in the City Championship final held on Saturday, champions for the second year on the trot. It wasn't an easy fixture, in difficult conditions, with the pitch in Ballybrown being deemed unplayable only hours before throw-in. The lads did not let that bother them but it was never likely to be a free-flowing and high-scoring fixture. But the ability to dig deep in these types of games has been an attribute of the team in the past and there were some inspirational performances all over the pitch. But despite heroic performances all over, it was the two goals that proved crucial in the end and we have the sharpshooting of Dylan Corrigan to thank for that; he was deadly in front of goal when the opportunities arose. The lads now progress to the quarter-final of the County Championship, where they will face Newcastlewest, possibly in two weeks, hoping to go all the way this time.

Panel: John Chawke (captain), Barry Walsh, Steve Hodnett, Brian Howard, Mossy Sheehan, Robert McKeogh, Tony McCarthy, Keel Moloney, Lorcan O'Leary, Darragh Deegan, Peter Nash, Michéal Keating, Steven McKeogh, Tom O'Shea, Dylan Corrigan, Rory O'Donnell, Eoin Cuddihy, Darren O'Connell, Brian Brogan, Conor Staff, Martin Nunan, Shane Gloster, Darragh Walsh, Féilim O'Leary, Sean Holland, Jonathan McHale, Stephen O'Brien, Alan Ryan, Simon Guerin, James Fitzgerald, Tommy O'Connor

Slattery's Bar Man of the Match: Mossy Sheehan

CITY/WEST MINOR HURLING SEMI-FINAL: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 1-16 Knockaderry/Monagea 0-9. Our minor hurlers booked their place in both the City/West Championship final and the semi-finals of the County Championship with a fantastic win over Knockaderry/Monagea in the Bog Garden last Sunday. Our opponents were the only team to beat us during the group stage but our lads felt that they had a lot to prove. There was a gale-force wind with which we had to contend in the first half and Knockaderry/Monagea raced into an early lead, scoring four points with Adam Butler our only scorer in the early stages. However, we grew into the half as it progressed, Adam converted a free before getting a nice score from play. Dylan Corrigan was very lively in and around the square and he was fouled to allow Adam get another point to level the game. Knockaderry/Monagea replied with a score of their own, before Kyle Hayes burst forward from centre-back and struck an inspirational score. Considering the wind we were facing, we fought well in the first half, the backline in particular looking strong with Darragh O'Brien and Kevin O'Shaughnessy flanking Kyle very well in the half-back line. We went in level at the break at 0-5 apiece, with a strong wind to play with in the second period.

Knockaderry/Monagea opened the scoring in the second half with a free, but would not get many more opportunities as we began to stamp our authority on the game. Wind-assisted, all deliveries from a strong half-back line and middle third were causing problems around the score and the probing runs from Liam Griffin and Conor Staff were supporting our six attackers well. Adam was on target with another free, before we took the lead for the first time. Kyle launched a free from deep inside his own half in around the square. It caused untold panic in the defence, and Naoise McGarrigle was on hand to scramble the ball into the back of the net for the game's first goal. Dylan followed this up with a nice score from play, eluding his marker once again. Our opponents replied with a point from play but we were to rattle off the next nine scores without reply in a period where we utterly dominated. Dylan and Adam were a constant thorn in the side of their backs, Liam Griffin really grew into the game in this half; while all six of our backs were on top in their individual battles- Akash Chaudri and Mikey Hayes were very composed in the full-back line while Stephen O'Brien did a great job in man marking his opponent, often around the middle third. During this strong period, Dylan, Adam and Liam all scored two points from play each; the pick of them being a great point from the sideline by Adam and a well-worked team move in which Lorcan O'Leary won the ball well and laid it off for Liam to convert. Liam also scored a '65 and Adam scored a free, leaving us twelve points to the good with just minutes remaining.

Knockaderry/Monagea pressed hard in the last few minutes in an aim to reduce the gap, and did score the final two points of the game, both from play. James Mason in goal also had to be very alert to deny them a goal at the end and he must be given credit for his excellent distribution from the puckouts, which was the launchpad for our success. A superb victory for our lads who will face Newcastlewest in the City/West final.

Team: James Mason; Stephen O'Brien, Mikey Hayes, Akash Chaudri; Darragh O'Brien, Kyle Hayes (0-1), Kevin O'Shaughnessy; Conor Staff, Liam Griffin (0-3, 0-1 '65); Shaun Barry, Lorcan O'Leary, Adam Butler (0-9, 0-5 frees); Naoise McGarrigle 1-0, Dylan Corrigan (0-3), Jack Mullane

 

Subs: Kieran Bourke for Naoise McGarrigle; Jack Ryan for Jack Mullane; Mikey Nash for Shaun Barry; Cathal O'Shaughnessy for Akash Chaudri

 

INTERMEDIATE HURLERS: Our intermediate hurlers will be back in Championship action next weekend, in the county semi-final as they face Pallasgreen in a battle for promotion to Premier Intermediate grade. It will be a huge day for the club, victory would show real progress for the club and we would ask that everyone comes out and supports the team. Date & time is yet to be set for the fixture, keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates.

 

U-10 AND U-12 HURLERS: Congratulations to all our U-10 and U-12 hurlers who were involved in this weekend's Cois Sionna Credit Union competitions out in Askeaton. It is great to see the skill levels shown by our youngsters, and the numbers partaking; these lads are the future of the club and the success we are currently seeing at adult level started with work done at U-12 & U-10 level and below. It was nice to bring back a trophy aswell, the future is bright in the parish!

Tweet

Most Read Stories