Adare outclassed as Bally book final spot
Eight players chipped in with points for the south Limerick men in this game played in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock yesterday.
Adare, who are already in the hurling final, scored a first-half goal through Liam Costello to ensure the sides were level 1-3 to 0-6 at half time.
However Adare were to score just three points in the second half as Bally notched 11, with, remarkably, all bar one of the winners’ total coming from open play.
Jimmy Barry Murphy and Kieran O’Callaghan were to the fore for Ballylanders in the opening half with two points a-piece as they raced 0-4 to 0-1 clear after 17 minutes.
Then came that Costello goal which put Adare ahead for the only time.
In the second half, former Limerick senior football Johnny Murphy showed all his experience with three fine points.
Entering the final quarter, the game was still in the balance as Adare introduced injured stars Stephen Lavin and Donnacha Sheehan from the bench. However it was the 1999 winners that finished the strong with five successive points.
Four crucial wides came back to haunt Adare as they searched for a goal. In injury time, Ballylanders put the icing on the semi final win with Stephen Walsh, O’Callaghan and Limerick senior hurlers, Mike O’Brien all pointing.
Ballylanders: K. O’Callaghan 0-5 (1fr), JB Murphy, J. Murphy 0-3, T. Fox 0-2, S. Fox, M. Mansell, S. Walsh, M. O’Brien 0-1. Adare: C. Fitzgerald 0-2 (2f), L. Costello 1-0, P. Lavin 0-2, N. Mulvihill 0-1.
D. O’Connor; L. Martin, Shane Fox, S. Walsh; C. McSweeney, P. Fox, T. Fox; W. Kelly, M. O’Brien; JB Murphy, J. Murphy, Steven Fox; M. Mansell, D. Murphy, K. O’Callaghan.
A. O’Rahilly; N. Crowley, M. Clifford, S. O’Connell, A. O’Connell, M. Toomey, F. Kelleher; P. Lavin, W. McNamara; D Sexton, L. Costello, M. Lyons, N. Mulvihill, C. Fitzgerald, D. Lavin.
D. Hannon for M. Lyons (23), S. Lavin for M. Toomey (44), D. Sheehan for F. Kelleher (44), P. Burke for D. Sexton (48), F. Kelleher for D. Hannon (53).
D. Richardson (Murroe/Boher).
DROMCOLLOGHER/BROADFORD are back in the Limerick SFC final for the first time since lifting the crown in 2004.
Playing in their eighth successive semi-final, the west Limerick side laid the foundations for victory in the first half, and enjoyed a 1-5 to 0-1 interval lead at Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock.
Monaleen’s only score of the opening 30 minutes came inside 90 seconds from county man Mike Crowley.
The remainder of the half was bossed by the eventual winners with Micheal Reidy scoring the vital goal on 27 minutes.
Such was their dominance, John O’Kelly and Michael O’Sullivan could have had further first half goals but for fine saves from Brian Berkery.
Backed by the wind, Monaleen came flying out from the traps on the restart with John Marsh and Crowley (free) pointing to reduce the deficit. Eight minutes after the resumption, Mike Crowley buried a penalty to leave just two points between the sides, (1-5 to 1-3) and an exciting finish was on.
With Tom McLoughlin and Seanie Buckley to the fore in the half back line, three quick points helped Drom weather the storm and they led 1-9 to 1-6 with 10 minutes remaining. County players Micheal Reidy and Garrett Noonan kicked scores to settle any nerves and John O’Kelly added another to seal their fifth final place since the turn of the century.
Dromcollogher/Broadford: M. Reidy 1-4 (3f), G. Noonan 0-3, R. Lynch, G. Egan, S. Buckley, J. Ryan, J. O’Kelly 0-1. Monaleen: M. Crowley 1-2 (1f, 1pen), J. Marsh 0-2 (1’45), C. Crowley (f), M. Gavin, J. O’Brien 0-1.
E. Scollard; M. Clancy, D. O’Leary, A. Donnolly; N. Conway, T. McLoughlin, S. Buckley; M. O’Sullivan, G. Noonan; P. Donnolly, R. Lynch, J. O’Kelly; J. Ryan, M. Reidy, G. Egan.
D. McCarthy for M. O’Sullivan (55).
B. Berkery; D. McCauley, J. Cormican, F. Nash; B. Fitzpatrick, P. King, D. Burke, A. Kitson, J. Marsh, J. O’Brien, N. Fitzgerald, P. Keating, M. Crowley, M. Gavin, C. Crowley. Subs: F. Melody for F. Nash (28), L. Kavanagh for J. O’Brien (55), S. Leland for D. Burke (57).
R. Moloney (Bruff).
