I agree with you UTD.......its really great to see john Kelly back in good health again and hurling well....

seangael (Limerick) - Posts: 84 - 18/12/2009 17:44:08    517862

will the u21 final manage to be played on a frozen pitch??????????????????????????????

seangael (Limerick) - Posts: 84 - 20/12/2009 10:50:19    518849

what a final that is what limerick hurling is all about true heart and fire kilmallock could have won by more but the clarina boys came back both scoring four goals ballybrown gettin them from long balls that the full back didnt deal with and the breaks pulled into the net, kilmallock got three goals from play and the goalie from ballybrown made a meal of the last goal. every player on the teams deserve credit as both teams had injuries, brian sullivan limping off the field and barry hennessy had his shoulder strapped which is the same injury he had before the u21 clare match. after this game there is hope for limerick hurling!

goalie101 (Limerick) - Posts: 23 - 20/12/2009 16:48:29    519107

This is especially for Brud. For your information Kilmallock trained on Wednesday nights and weekends BECAUSE most of the players are students and away in different colleges during the week, but thats all immaterial as they are County Champions again after winning 4 in a row today. Was a very exciting game in Bruff, its a pity there had to be a loser as both teams had to play in awful conditions. We had Snow, Sunshine and Showers for the final of the best grade to watch.

diehardlimerick (Limerick) - Posts: 5 - 20/12/2009 17:35:53    519142

Great game of hurling in Kilmallock today.. pity about the row.. main instigator was from Ballybrown.. The County Board need to seriously look at who is left into the pitch for future games.. Unless something is done about the pitch incursions by "water carriers" and "hurley carriers", some one is going to be seriously hurt some day...

donkeyford (Limerick) - Posts: 119 - 20/12/2009 20:52:41    519256

Sorry..Great game of hurling in Bruff today.. rest of previous post still applies..

donkeyford (Limerick) - Posts: 119 - 20/12/2009 21:08:14    519272

what a final.................the best co final in Limerick in many years. at any grade..........pity there had to be a loser......Ballybrown showed great guts and passion fighting back from being 10 points down to going ahead by a point...after which they should have scored 2 goals and shot 3 point attempts wide........stephen Foster was a serious loss to bb.........great to see paddy kelly back.............bit of a fight at the end of normal caused by kilmallocks no 14 who had been taken off and came onto to the field to strike bb james hall........the game itself was a cracker....limerick hurling should not be afraid of trying new players.......very few of those playing today would accept losing by 24 points and then try to justify that they should have a part to play in the future of limerick hurling..................those lucky enough to have been at bruff today witnessed what i believe is the future.........

seangael (Limerick) - Posts: 84 - 20/12/2009 23:34:37    519367

What a match....what an unbelievable match. Without doubt, the best game of hurling played in Limerick this year, if not for the last number of years. 8 goals and 27 points in the rain, sleet, snow and sunshine in Bruff. The passion, the pride and the hunger evident yesterday was just overwhelming. Two hours couldn't separate these two fantastic teams- even extra time was necessary.

The only negative thing that I have to say is that there were quite simply too many people on the sideline, for both sides. This is an organisational error on the part of the County Board officials, no question about that, too many so-called "hurley carriers" and "waterboys". And, the REASON that this is a problem, was because when the passion and the excitement of the occasion boiled-over, and tempers flared, THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN THAT FIGHT WITHOUT A PAIR OF BOOTS ON!!! I was on the Knockainy side of the grounds and there were verbal arguments throughout the game on the line and both sides were giving as good as they were getting.

But we shouldn't let this incident take from the wonderful game inside the while lines. It was just fantastic.

As is already said above, Foster was a big loss to Ballybrown. great battles throughout the game between Hall(BB) and Moloney(K), and Kelly(K) and Loftus(BB). Ballybrown played a very direct game, route 1 , long balls down on top of the inside line, and hurling the breaks, and it was very effective. Kilmallock tried to play the usual "Arsenal style" hurling but I think the weather was against them and the winter conditions were not suitable for the style of play that we are used to seeing from Kilmallock. Loftus was not as influential as last week but still played very well in my opinion. Actually, everyone on the field put on a fantastic show. BB came so close, but in the end I think Kilmallock had too many hurlers.

Yesterday's game was a sign for the future and will be remembered for a long time.

kid52 (Limerick) - Posts: 24 - 21/12/2009 12:44:12    519518

Great game of hurling between two closely matched teams.
However the standard was very poor. Ballybrown had a good few cack handed, one sided hurlers, while Kilmallock were more skilful.
Pity about the brawl, but both sides in the main played their hearts out.
Limerick people deluding themselves if they think any of these players will seriously establish themselves at the top level. Bar a few from Kilmallock, and maybe Loftus, average club hurlers at best.
Maybe they should be thrown in to see how they would fare against a College team even in the Waterford Crystal

Mick_Mackey (Limerick) - Posts: 91 - 21/12/2009 13:26:26    519557

Mick Mackey,

were you expecting some champagne hurling yesterday on your way to Bruff!?!? Honestly, how can you expect top quality stuff on a snowy day in December??? You can't say on yesterday's game whether or not some few of those young lads are good enough to cut it at Senior. But if they're not given a chance then we'll never know.

Maybe with the way things are in the senior camp at the moment, at lot more lads will get a chance

kid52 (Limerick) - Posts: 24 - 21/12/2009 17:14:37    519758

Mick Mackey...............you have some cheek to be in any way critical of the two teams that served up such a thriller yesterday.........i already stated and i stand over my statement that this was THE outstanding co final in many a long day....it had everything in atrocious conditions,skill,heart,passion,committment,courage, in a pulsatring encounter that had a large crowd on its toes to the final whistle............the standard of play was first class............you should have gone to SPECSAVERS...........

seangael (Limerick) - Posts: 84 - 21/12/2009 20:49:27    519999

Great game on sunday,brillent hurling and great committment shown...would have liked to see Ballybrown wining as it would be good for hurling but fair play to Killmalock on the 4 in a row it was well deserved.

cornerback11 (Limerick) - Posts: 63 - 22/12/2009 19:16:16    520889

does anybody know who got the man of the match award?..
what players stood out?.

wingbak2 (Limerick) - Posts: 20 - 22/12/2009 19:50:49    520914

As I already stated, the final was very exciting, but the closeness of the game masked the overall quality.
I was not expecting champagne hurling but the basic skills were executed poorly across the board.
Ballybrown showed great heart, but had many limited hurlers, whose first touch was poor, and who were one sided in the main.
Kilmallock were far more skilful, but were not as tenacious as the men from Clarina in the tackle, and this evened things up.
All in all a good days entertainment and fair play to both sides for their commitment in atrocious conditions.
I have seen many of the Ballybrown players playing in the intermediate championship this year and have watched the Kilmallock boys over the years at minor, senior and U-21.
It saddens me to say that none of them will seriously establish themselves at senior level for Limerick.

Mick_Mackey (Limerick) - Posts: 91 - 22/12/2009 21:07:11    520964

A lot of players stood out for both teams but id have to give man of the match to kevin o donnell.Still a minor and has a big future.also no12 for bb was outstanding not sure bout name.Hard to believe stevie o reilly didn't play county minor this year.Kept graeme mul scoreless da 1st day something players have struggled to do in the senior championship and showed great heart last sunday also.

pucfada83 (Limerick) - Posts: 33 - 23/12/2009 13:49:29    521369

having watched ALL the division 1 u21 hurling championship games ................itis a matter of utter amazement that my player of the championship Kyle Loftus and many other of limericks finest failed to make the panel..............just where were leo o connor and his selectors looking????????????????????

seangael (Limerick) - Posts: 84 - 28/12/2009 14:05:43    521581

true it seems city teams were evaded in selection and looking at the u 21 panel selectors seemed very fond to pick players from their own clubs.

tipoki (Limerick) - Posts: 67 - 28/12/2009 21:48:14    521755