PREVIEW: Limerick Senior Football Championship Final

This Sunday Adare and Ballylanders meet in the 2020 Limerick Senior Football Final in the Gaelic Grounds at 2pm.

This is a repeat of the 2018 decider where Adare won out 1-13 to 0-12 to retain the title they first won in 2017.

Adare came into that game as defending champions after they won a first ever title at the expense of Newcastle West in 2017. Ballylanders were looking for a first title since 2014 and dominated the champions, holding a 0-5 to 0-1 lead midway through the first half, having conceded the first point of the day. At half time, the champions trailed 0-9 to 0-5 but powered into the game upon the restart. Seven unanswered had them 0-12 to 0-9 clear approaching the final quarter. Ballylanders rallied and reduced the deficit to a point with ten to play. However, a Charlie McCarthy goal would be the only score down the stretch as Adare retained their title with a 1-13 to 0-12 win.

They met in the final round of the group stages of last year’s campaign with Ballylanders needing a win to advance as Adare entered the game assured of a semi-final berth. Adare would claim a 1-14 to 0-7 victory to ensure an 11^th straight group stage win, knocking out Ballylanders in the process. Adare would eventually relinquish their crown against Newcastle West in the semis.

It has been far from a perfect campaign thus far from the sides in 2020 with both losing in round two of the group stages. Ballylanders began their season with a 1-16 to 0-8 win over Galtee Gaels before falling to Oola. That set up a quarter final with Monaleen where Ballylanders upset the bookmakers to secure a 1-8 to 0-9 win with Jimmy Barry Murphy getting the crucial goal. Adare were arguably the standout team in the opening round as they destroyed Na Piarsaigh 3-14 to 1-4. However, Fr Caseys had five to spare against them as Adare moved into the quarter finals where they met Newcastle West. As NCW had done to them 12 months ago, Adare dethroned the champions with an excellent hour of football with Shane O’Connor getting the all-important goal in the 1-13 to 0-11 win.

Those knockout wins are an indication to the form of the sides heading into the final with both playing their best football over the past fortnight. On paper, it is hard to look past Adare who have been so consistent since earning promotion in 2016 but Ballylanders will be desperate to right the wrongs of 2018 come Sunday. It promises to be a close encounter.