CITY INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 0-14 Ballybrown 1-13. Our intermediate hurlers opened their competitive campaign for the year with a City Championship clash against neighbours Ballybrown on St. Patrick's Day. With a strong breeze and a wet surface, conditions weren't at their best but it was a hard-fought contest all the same. We struggled to get going in the first half, rustiness expected due to it being the first outing of the year. We relied on frees from Steven McKeogh and Barry O'Connell for scores, with Simon Guerin always a strong outlet in attack. Ballybrown edged their noses in front early on, mostly converting frees and managed to take a lead in at the half-time break on a scoreline of Kildimo/Pallaskenry 0-4 Ballybrown 0-7.

 

It was a much-improved second half performance from our lads, and we flew out of the blocks to have ourselves level within minutes. Points from play from Barry O'Connell, surging forward from centre-back, and Adrian Garvey from well out on the wing were the highlights. Ballybrown re-took the lead, but we began to assert our dominance with our forwards fighting for possession and the likes of Kevin O'Connell, Barry O'Connell and Lorcan O'Leary powering into the game in defence. We kept the scoreboard ticking over to a much greater extent in the second half, and when Bob McKeogh rounded off a hard-working performance with a score, we had a two-point lead with only injury time to play. However, disaster struck as Ballybrown scored a late goal to take a one point lead. Desperate for an equalising score, our players were perhaps over-exuberant in trying to win the ball back and we conceded a free which was converted our opposition. It was a disappointing loss after a decent second-half performance but there is still a lot of work to be done and a lot to look forward to for the year ahead. 

 

Team: John Chawke; Brian Howard, Lorcan O'Leary, Eoin O'Brien; Kevin O'Connell, Barry O'Connell, Mikey Dillon; Bob McKeogh, Adrian Garvey; Steven McKeogh, Simon Guerin, Conor Staff; Dylan Corrigan, Keel Maloney, Kieran O'Brien

 

Subs: Evan Considine for Kieran O'Brien (half-time); Darragh O'Brien for Mikey Dillon (44 mins)

 

U-21 CITY/EAST HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 1-12 Southside Gaels 6-12. Our U-21 hurlers fell to a disappointing defeat against Southside Gaels on Sunday afternoon. A number of our more experienced players at this grade were unavailable, and we were also without a recognised goalkeeper. Despite being understrength, our lads took the fight to our opponents in the first half, Shaun Barry opening the scoring with a point from play. Despite Southside Gaels hitting us with a fortunate goal, we responded well: Dylan Corrigan, Martin Neville and Liam Griffin all winning frees for the latter to convert with aplomb. At 1-3 to 0-4, we were well and truly in the game, Lorcan O'Leary and Mikey Hayes being particularly strong in defence, Liam Griffin and Conor Staff getting on a lot of ball in the middle third and Jack Mullane impressing with a huge work rate in attack. But another fortunate goal for Southside Gaels proved to be a momentum-shifter and they managed to rack up a number of scores in succession prior to the break. 

 

These scores effectively killed the game as a contest, but our lads put in a brave showing in the second half. Team captain Evan Considine was a tower of strength at full-back, winning his battles regularly while Conor Staff cleaned up a lot of possession in a more defensive role in the second half. Liam Griffin continued to nail free after free, and found the back of the net as he flighted a free at pace from distance towards goal, which may have taken a deflection to deceive the keeper. Naoise McGarrigle also finished a point smartly as our lads fought until the very end. Both Akash Chaudri and Darragh O'Brien must also be commended for filling in between the sticks in what was a very difficult situation without our regular goalkeepers available, and both also put in a terrier-like shift in defence, as is typical from these two lads. It was a disappointing conclusion to the campaign for our U-21 hurlers, and frustrating that we never had the opportunity to field anything close to our strongest side at the grade. 

 

Team: Akash Chaudri; Darragh O'Brien, Evan Considine, Cathal O'Shaughnessy; Martin Neville, Lorcan O'Leary, Mikey Hayes; Liam Griffin (1-10, frees), Conor Staff; Dylan Corrigan, Shaun Barry (0-1), Jack Mullane; Naoise McGarrigle (0-1), Matthew Lucey, Darren Lane

 

Subs: Seán Holland for Naoise McGarrigle; Daniel Pearse for Darren Lane; Naoise McGarrigle for Matthew Lucey; Darren Lane for Dylan Corrigan

 

LIMERICK SENIOR FOOTBALLERS: Congratulations to Peter Nash and Tony McCarthy who both featured in the Limerick senior footballers' victory over Leitrim in Newcastlewest on Sunday. Peter started at wing-forward, and Tony appeared from the bench in the half-back line. It is the second win on the trot for the Limerick footballers and we wish them the best of luck for the rest of the league campaign.

 

U-14 FÉILE NA NGAEL B: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 6-07 Shannon Gaels 3-03. Our U-14 hurlers had a super victory over Shannon Gaels in the Féile na nGael qualifying competition in Pallaskenry last Sunday morning. Our lads showed plenty of firepower and racked up a comfortable 13-point victory. Well done to all involved, and best of luck for the year ahead.

 

MEDAL PRESENTATIONS: County medals will be presented to our county-winning underage teams from 2016 on Friday March 24 in Pallaskenry Community Centre. 2016 was a bountiful year in terms of on-field success, and we hope we can achieve something similar across all age grades in 2017.

 

PLAYER REGISTRATION: It is absolutely essential that any players who have not registered must do so as soon as possible. Anyone not registered will not be eligible to play for the year ahead, and the deadline is fast approaching (31 March 2017). Please contact registrar Pat Culloo     at 0862224653 in order to confirm your registration.

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