HISTORIC FIRST COUNTY TITLE FOR CLAUGHAUN/OLD CHRISTIANS
County Minor A Hurling Championship final
Claughaun/Old Christians…2-14
Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale…2-11
History was made at Bruff G.A.A. grounds on Saturday when the first ever combined Claughaun and Old Christians side won a county championship title beating gallant Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale by three points in the County Minor AHurling Championship final after a 29-score contest. Michael Weekes had the Bruff pitch in top class condition for this final played between two fine sporting sides in front of a good crowd who gave great support to their teams with Michael Flannery of Ahane in charge. It was a full-blooded contest and gave the crowd plenty of exciting hurling to savour right up to the final whistle.
The first quarter was close and exciting with points traded by Darragh O'Grady on 2 minutes and Ken Byrnes from a placed ball on three ins, Cathal O'Keeffe from a placed ball on 5 minutes and Ken Byrnes from a 65 on 7, Cathal O'Keeffe from a placed ball on minutes and Ken Byrnes from a placed ball on 10 minutes, Cathal O'Keeffe on 11 and Ken Byrnes from a placed ball on 12, Ken Byrnes from a placed ball on 14 minutes and Mikey Morrissey on 15 for 0-5 each at the end of the first quarter. The next seven minutes were close and exciting with both sides missing chances before points were exchanged by ken Byrnes on 23 minutes and Brendan Lynch on 24 and fro placed balls by Ken Byrnes on 26 mins and Cathal O'Keeffe on 28 for 0-7 each. A couple of qides were exchanged before Ian Coates pointed after a good solo run a minute into added time to send Claughaun/old Christians in for half-time leading 0-8 to 0-7
The first four minutes of the second half belonged to man of the match Ken Byrnes with points from play on 32 minutes and from a placed ball on 34 before Cathal O'Keeffe pointed for Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale on 35 minutes to close the gap to two, Claughaun/Old Christians 0-10 Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale 0-8 on 35 minutes. the first goal of this exciting contest arrived on 40 minutes courtesy of Dylan Lyons of Old Christians followed a minute later by a well taken point by Ken Byrnes to put their side six ahead 1-11 to 0-8 on 41 minutes. unfazed, Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale scored three points courtesy of Seán O'Connor from a placed ball on 43 minutes, Mikey Morrissey on 45 and Cathal O'Keeffe from a placed ball on 27 minutes followed tw minutes later by a cracking Seamus Keating goal after good work by Richie O'Keeffe to level for the eighth time in this thrilling contest at 1-1 each on 49 minutes.
Drama unfolded when Dylan Lyons finished past Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale keeper Owen Kelly on 50 minutes cancelled out three minutes later when a line ball cut in by Richie O'Keeffe went all the way to the net to level for the ninth time, 2-11 all on 53 minutes. Claughaun/Old Christians now began to raise their game with points by Killian Hannon on 55 minutes, Dylan Lyons on 57 and Dylan Blackhall on 30 minutes to go three ahead. It took some great defence work by Claughaun/Old Christians to prevent the boys from the west getting the goal that would take this thrilling contest to a replay in added time, but at Michael Flannery’s final whistle it was the city team who had won their first county hurling championship title under the Claughaun/Old Christians name by three points 2-14 to 2-11. Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale lost nothing in defeat and were sporting enough to stay on the field as Liam O'Sullivan, vice-chairman of the county board, presented the cup to winning captain Darren Kenihan. Claughaun/Old Christians scored 2-7 from play, 0-6 from frees and 0-1 from a 65; Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale scored 2-5 from play and 0-6 from frees.
Claughaun/Old Christians: Jack Banks, Liam Byrnes, Keith Quinn, Cian Ryan, Darren Lenihan, captain, Thomas Byrnes, KyrinMcGarry, Ian Coates 0-1, Jordan Madden, Dylan Blackhall, Kevin Howard, Glen Hannon 0-1, Cian Maher 101, Dylan Lyons 2-1, Ken Byrnes 0-10. Sub used: Cian Maher.
Granagh-Ballingarry/Rathkeale: Owen Kelly, Padraig Power, Gearóid Mulcaire, Darragh Curtin, Aaron Smith, Brendan Lynch 0-1, Andrew White, Mickey Morrissey 0-2, Edward Sheehy, Seán O’Connor 0-1, Cathal O’Keeffe 0-6, Richie O’Keeffe 1-0, Conor O’Donoghue, Darragh O’Grady 0-1, Seamus Keating 1-0.
Subs used: Brian Keating, Barry Coleman, Cormac Snow.
Referee: Michael Flannery, Ahane.
Thank you to managers Liam Lynch and James O’Connor, selectors Richie O’Keeffe and Tom Keating, First Aid official Mary Sheehan, Rathkeale club secretary Pat Sheahan and the panel of players for giving some outstanding displays to win the West Minor A Hurling Championship Final and reaching the County Final.
U13 Title For Cappamore
County U13 Hurling Division 3 Final
Cappamore...3-8, Granagh-Ballingarry...0-6
Granagh-Ballingarry U13 hurlers’ brave bid to claim the club’s third county title of 2015 just failed when they lost to a physically stronger Cappamore XV at South Liberties GAA Grounds in Knockea on Saturday afternoon. Well done to the management team and the panel of players for giving some outstanding displays to reach the final.
West Intermediate Hurling Championship semi final preview
The West Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship semi final is on this Saturday 7th November at 3pm, when holders Feohanagh-Castlemahon play neighbours Feenagh-Kilmeedy in Dromcolloger in a repeat of the County Intermediate Championship quarter final, won 4-13 to 0-12 by Feohanagh-Castlemahon on Sunday 20th September at Newcastle West.
Knockaderry play host to the meeting of recently crowned County Junior A Champions Dromcollogher-Broadford and West Senior Champions Granagh-Ballignarry. Dromcollogher-Broadford will be aiming for their fourth West Intermediate Hurling Championship Final and their first since 2003, when they won their first title, defeating Feohanagh-Castlemahon 4-12 to 3-7 in the decider, while Granagh-Ballingarry, who have yet to inscribe their name on the West Intermediate Hurling Championship roll of honour, will be hoping to reach their second final and their first since 2003 when they lost to county champions Tournafulla at Dromcollogher on Saturday 29th November.
That losing Granagh-Ballingarry side was Shane Mulqueen, Bobby Houlihan, Seamus Stapleton, Cormac McCarthy, Niall McCarthy, Michael Carroll, Aidan Mulqueen, Donal O’Grady, Paul Kennedy 0-1, Stephen Stapleton, David Clancy 0-6, Darren Clifford, Eoin Chawke, Bart Henley, Michael Clancy 0-2. Subs used: Eddie O’Brien 0-1, Kieran Mulqueen, Kevin O’Connor.
So an exciting game is in prospect between the County Junior A Hurling champions and the West Senior champions at Knockaderry on this Saturday at 3pm. Come and support the boys in black and green in their bid to reach their first West Intermediate Hurling Championship Final since 2003, to stay on course for a West Senior and Intermediate Hurling Championship double last achieved by Killeedy in 2009.
West Scór na nOg Finals
The West Limerick Scor na nOg Finals will be held on Sunday 15th November in the Community Centre, Ardagh, at 7.30pm. All entries from Granagh-Ballingarry GAA club will be accepted by Jim Enright, Askeaton, 087 2436086 or Granagh-Ballingarry secretary John Lynch 087 2912356. The programme includes competitions in music, song, dance, recitation and drama, with group and solo performers in a variety of entertaining event.
€10,200 jackpot on Monday
The numbers drawn in the Granagh-Ballingarry GAA club lottery on Monday 2nd November in Condon’s Bar, Ballingarry, were 4, 16, 19 and 32. The jackpot was not won. Lucky dips of €20 each went to Frank Snow, James Keogh, Betty Cagney, Stephen Stapleton and Siobhan Lynch. The next draw is on Monday 9th November in the Rock bar, Granagh, for a jackpot of €10,200. We thank all our punters for their continued support.
Limerick Club Draw
The following were the winners in the 8th draw held on Saturday October 31st on Limerick Live 95FM:€13,000 Ollie O’Connor, Ballybrown; €3,000 Betty McNamara, Drom/Broadford; €2,000 John A Kennedy, Mungret/St. Paul’s; €1,000 Lorna and Peter Lawlor, Croom; €500 each to John and Mary Flannery, Na Piarsaigh, Annie Hosford, Blackrock Bord na nOg, Mairéad Casey, St. Mary’s/Sean Finns, John Lynch, Rathkeale, Tommy Ryan, Oola; €250 each Paul Walsh, Doon; Helen Hickey, Athea; Tom Walsh, Na Piarsaigh; Tommy Lee, Blackrock Bord na nOg; John Fitzgerald, Castletown/Ballyagran, Liam Cronin and Joe O’Donnell, Cappamore, James Moore, Bruree, Thomas O’Connor, Croagh/Kilfinny, Salesian College, Pallaskenry, Kevin and Eileen Barry, Killeedy.
Lottery Prize: €10,000
Numbers drawn were 10, 11, 28, 31. The winner Tom and Mary O’Donnell, Knockane. The next draw is on Saturday at limerick Live 95 FM Studio. We thank all our punters for their continued support.
Club Diary
Saturday November 7th: County U21 hurling 13 a side competition final: Killeedy v Glenroe in Ballyagran at 12 noon.
West Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final: Granagh/Ballingarry v Drom/Broadford in Knockaderry at 3pm.
Feohanagh/Castlemahon v Feenagh/Kilmeedy in Ballingarry at 3pm.
West U21 A Football Championship round 1: Gael na Sionna v Ballysteen in Foynes at 3pm.
West U21 B Football Championship round 1: St. Kieran’s v St. Senan’s/Sean Finns Rathkeale at 3pm.
County Junior B Football Championship semi-final: Camogue Rovers v Crecora in Croom at 2pm. Knockaderry v Fedamore in Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale at 2pm.
County Football League: Drom/Broadford v Na Piarsaigh in Bruff at 2.30pm. Monaleen v Rathkeale in Monaleen at 2.30pm.
Munster Junior Club Football Junior Football Championship quarter final: Cappagh v Coolmeen (Clare) in Askeaton at 2pm.; Golden/Kilfeacle (Tipperary) v Bandon (Cork) in Leahy Park, Cashel at 2pm.
Sunday November 8th: Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-finals: Na Piarsaigh v Thurles Sarsfields
(Tipperary) in Páirc na nGael at 2pm. Ballygunners (Waterford) v Glen Rovers (Cork) in Walsh’s Park at 2pm.
Munster Senior Club Football Championship Quarter Final:Stradbally or Ballinacourty Waterford v Nemo Rangers Cork in Fraser’s Field Dungarvan at 7pm.
Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship quarter finals: Bruree v Wolfe Tones (Clare) in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock at 2pm. Newcestown (Cork) v Clonakenny(Tipperary) in Clughduv at 2pm.
County Premier U21 Football Championship Round 1: Drom/Broadford v Ballybrown in Mick Neville Park Rathkeale at 11a.m. Adare v Bruff in Croom at 12 noon; Newcastle West v St. Patrick’s in Croagh at 12 noon; Patrickswell v Tory Gaels in Mungret at 12 noon.
