PREVIEW: Galtee Gaels seek first final spot as they take on defending champions Adare in the Limerick SFC semi-final

The sides meet for the first time in the senior championship since Galtee’s promotion on Sunday.

There is a novel pairing in the Limerick Senior Football Championship semi-final this Sunday as Adare take on Galtee Gaels in Kilmallock.

With a 2pm throw-in, whoever comes out on top will be the first team into the county final with the second semi-final between Newcastle West and Monaleen down for decision at 4pm in Mick Neville Park.

Both teams come into the game with a 100% record in 2021 having won each of their three games.

Defending champions Adare were 1-13 to 0-6 winners over Na Piarsaigh and Oola in the group stages, overcoming both sides with the exact same score incredibly. In the quarter-final they were paired with Ballysteen. Robbie Bourke’s goal with twenty to play but eight between the sides but Adare only scores once more as Ballysteen pushed hard late on. In the end the margin was 1-9 to 0-8 as Adare booked their place in a fifth successive semi-final.

Galtee Gaels got their campaign off to the perfect start as their one point win over St Kierans secured a knockout berth. A 1-15 to 1-10 win over Ballysteen sealed top spot and a last eight clash with Oola. An early Robbie Childs goal put the Anglesborough Kilbehenny side in control but by the break it was the East side in the lead. A strong second half performance from Galtee saw them overcome that deficit to advance on a 1-12 to 0-12 scoreline.

Recent Meetings

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This will be the first meeting of the sides since Galtee Gaels earned promotion in 2019 after defeating Gerald Griffins in a repeat of the Intermediate decider. A Derek Gallahue goal proved crucial that day as they outlasted the West men to move to the senior ranks. Just two years previous to that success, Galtee were crowned Junior A kingpins, overcoming Croom in the third tier final.

Their remarkable recent run has them just one game away from the senior final, four years after contesting the Junior final. This will be their first ever semi-final at the grade. Kilbehenny did reach the senior final in 1932 but were defeated on that occasion.

Their opponents Adare were winning the senior championship for the first time when Galtee were crowned Junior champions in 2017. After suffering relegation to the Intermediate ranks in 2015, Adare responded by winning promotion back to the top tier at the first time of asking. Keen on making up for lost time, a late Jack English goal helped them overcome Newcastle West in the 2017 decider to earn a maiden title.

Twelve months later, Adare retained their title at the expense of Ballylanders. Their first knockout championship loss in four years occurred at the hands of Newcastle West in 2019 but the men in red and black gained their revenge in last year’s championship, knocking out the champions in the quarter-finals before going on to retain their crown for the third time in four years.

On paper, it is Adare’s to lose with some stars among their ranks. Hugh Bourke is the name that jumps out but his brother Robbie is in the form of his life after nailing down a starting spot with Limerick earlier this summer. The trio of Connolly’s have become real leaders in the side with Ronan and David in defence and Mark at the other end of the pitch. They will have some injury concerns with Oran Collins and Mikey Lyons both missing their quarter-final win. But, Adare do have the strength in depth to cope with those losses.

For Galtee Gaels, Robbie Childs has come into his own this summer as the standout forward in the championship. He has been the scorer in chief for the maroon side while Zac McCarthy has assisted with four from play in the win over Oola. Further out the field, Robbie’s brother Tommie has been key in midfield with the likes of the McGrath’s Seanie and Padraig as well as Maurice O’Sullivan and Sean Clancy equally impressive.

And while Adare are rightly favoured but it would be foolish to write off the Gaels’.

Adare face Galtee Gaels in the Limerick SFC semi-final on Sunday October 10 in Kilmallock at 2pm.

It is a ticket only event with a link to purchase those tickets below.

Adare v Galtee Gaels Tickets