PREVIEW | West rivals St Kierans and Drom Broadford face off in Junior A Hurling Final

A place in the Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship for next season is also up for grabs this Saturday.

The Limerick Junior A Hurling Championship will be decided this weekend with St Kierans and Dromcollogher Broadford set to battle it out in Newcastle West for the title.

Both teams will be competing for a spot in next year’s IHC as well as a place in the Munster championship, with a tie against Banner or Kilgarvan to look forward to on November 19th for the winner.

For St. Kieran’s, a place in the IHC for the first time since 2017 is on offer, ten years on from their previous championship win as they claimed the Junior title in 2012. Drom Broadford, on the other hand, last won the Junior Championship in 2015, beating Na Piarsaigh in the final with a four year stint in the IHC following afterwards.

Kierans have enjoyed a fruitful path to the final, with last year’s runners up beating every team on their way to the decider. An opening round win against Askeaton was followed by victories against Feenagh Kilmeedy, Ballybrown, Doon and Mungret St Pauls in the group stage.

The side then saw off Kilteely Dromkeen in the quarter-final, with a 1-16 to 0-10 victory setting up a tie with Killeedy in the last four. They were 1-9 to 0-9 clear at half-time in what was a tight-knit match until Kieran’s powered to victory in the second half with a 2-17 to 1-13 win.

Victories over Templeglantine, Staker Wallace and Blackrock helped Drom Broadford to a second placed finish in group one of the championship after failing to win their opening two games.

They were drawn Castletown Ballyagran in the quarter-finals where they would go on to seal a 0-23 to 2-12 win. Against Patrickswell in the semi-finals, a late Keith Lacey point saw off the City side after a cracking contest where they edged out a 4-20 to 1-28 victory after extra-time. Goals from Kevin Noonan and Lacey put the side seven points to the good at half time. The ‘Well hit back but a Lacey hat-trick ensured extra-time where Michael O’Sullivan grabbed would grab the fourth goal before Lacey sealed the winner.

Paths to the Final

St. Kieran’s

• R1 : 2-18 : 1-13 v Askeaton (W)
• R2 : 2-17 : 0-14 v Feenagh Kilmeedy (W)
• R3 : 3-17 : 2-7 v Ballybrown (W)
• R4 : 2-15 : 0-13 v Doon (W)
• R5 : 2-13 : 0-13 v Mungret St Paul’s (W)
• QF : 1-16 : 0-10 v Kilteely Dromkeen (W)
• SF : 2-17 : 1-13 v Killeedy (W)

Dromcollogher Broadford

• R1 : 0-12 : 1-13 v Ballybricken Boher (L)
• R2 : 0-21 : 1-18 v Crecora Manister (D)
• R3 : 2-18 : 1-13 v Templeglantine (W)
• R4 : 0-25 : 3-6 v Blackrock (W)
• R5 : 0-24 : 2-14 v Staker Wallace (W)
• QF : 0-23 : 2-12 v Castletown Ballyagran (W)
• SF: 4-20 : 1-28 v Patrickswell (W)

St Kierans will be looking to go one further than last year when they were beaten by Caherline in the final. Chris Madigan’s side have impressed since that defeat with just 60 minutes separating them from their potential return to the Intermediate Hurling Championship. They are yet to lose a game in 2022 as they come into the final with seven wins from a possible seven.

Their opponents, Drom Broadford, will also be keen on a return to IHC after their 2019 relegation. Their first year back in the grade in 2020 resulted in a semi-final defeat to Patrickswell after a Covid blighted season. Missing out on the knockout stages in 2021, their season got off a below par start when they lost to Ballybricken Bohermore in the opening game. They had to settle for a draw against Crecora Manister with quarter-final chances looking unlikely after the first two rounds. But they have responded in style and will fancy their chances in Saturday’s decider.

But St Kierans do look poised to avenge the result of twelve months ago as they seek to complete the championship with a 100% record. Dromcollogher Broadford, however, will be desperate to get over the line after falling in the Intermediate Football Championship final last weekend.

St. Kieran’s face Dromcollogher Broadford at 2pm on Saturday in Newcastle West in the Junior A Hurling Championship.