Limerick SFC Round Up

The Limerick Senior Football Championship roared back into action this weekend with five games. St. Kierans take on Na Piarsaigh this Tuesday in the final game of the opening round.

Group 1

Champions Adare got off to their season of to the perfect start with a 3-10 to 3-5 win over Monaleen as they seek three in a row of Limerick SFC titles.

In a rematch of last years county semi-final, Adare got off to a brilliant start with goals from Robbie Bourke and Jack English giving the team from the west a 2-3 to 0-1 advantage within the opening quarter of an hour.

Evan O’Neill goaled from the penalty spot to leave the Adare lead at eight, 2-7 to 1-2 at half time.

Adare kept Monaleen at arms length throughout the second half with Charlie McCarthy’s goal for the reigning champions pushing them ahead 3-10 to 1-4 with time running out.

Two late Evan O’Neill goals for Monaleen reduced the deficit but the result rarely looked in threat.

In Kilmallock on Saturday, Ballysteen avenged their loss to Ballylanders in last years quarter-final with a comprehensive 3-13 to 0-7 victory.

Ballylander lead 0-3 to 0-1 early on in the first half but that was to be as good as it got for last years county finalists as a goal blitz from Ballysteen effectively ended the contest before the half time with the score at 3-7 to 0-4.

Ballysteen eased to victory in the second with Ballylanders also losing a player to a red-card with fifteen minutes to go.

On Friday night in the opening game of the championship, Fr Caseys overcame a depleted St Senans side 2-17 to 1-9.

Within ten minutes Caseys had asserted their dominance opening up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.

By 25 minutes this had been extended to 0-10 to 0-3 before Billy Quirke’s goal pushed the advantage out to ten points.

Both sides exchanged a point each prior to the interval to leave the scoreline at 1-11 to 0-4.

Thirteen minutes into the second half, Cormac Roche had Caseys second goal to extend their lead to sixteen points, 2-16 to 0-6.

A late Adam Kearns goal did reduce the lead somewhat for Senans who play Ballylanders this weekend.

For Caseys they face Adare while Ballysteen and Monaleen also meet in the group.

Group 2

In Group 2, Newcastle got their season off to a flying start as they defeated Drom-Broadford 1-20 to 1-8 on Saturday evening.

Drom would open the scoring through Derry McCarthy but that would be the only time Drom would lead with Newcastle dominating proceedings.

NCW had six scorers in the opening half as they amassed a 0-9 to 0-4 lead before the break.

Halfway through the second period the gap was out to eleven with scoreline reading 0-17 to 0-6.

Newcastle had the games opening goal on 57 minutes with Diarmaid Kelly notching.

Derry McCarthy replied with a goal of his own late on as Newcaslte cruised to twelve point victory.

On their return to the senior ranks, Galbally were beaten by a flurry of goals by Oola on Saturday afternoon winning 5-7 to 0-12.

Limerick senior hurler had Oola’s opening goal as his side trailed by a point at the break 0-8 to 1-4.

However, Galbally would only add another four points in the second half as four goals from Oola sealed an opening day win.

Those goals came courtesy of Raymond Ryan, Dubhan O’Grady, Josh Ryan and Mikey O’Brien adding his second late on.

Oola Goal 5 Mikey O'Brien pic.twitter.com/S1nHaGlBiS

— Galbally GAA (@Galbally_GAA) March 30, 2019

St Kierans and Na Piarsaigh meet in the final game of the group on Tuesday evening.

This weekend Drom meet Oola on Friday, Newcastle and St Kierans face off the following day while Galbally and Na Piarsaigh battle on Sunday.