WATCH: Newcastle West retain title against rivals Adare

Newcastle West 1-11
Adare 2-5
(After extra-time)

Newcastle West are Irish Wire Products Limerick Senior Football Champions for a sixth time.

There was extra-time ecstasy for Magpies, as they eventually did enough to wrestle the Fr. Casey Cup back for another year. On a soft Kilmallock pitch, these sides served up an enthralling contest, during which neither side gave much away easily.

The winners needed a stoppage time point to prolong their spell as champions and took over in extra-time seeing off an Adare side who started the extra 20 minutes two men short, owing to black cards.

It is a sixth ever county title and a fourth for this group, their fourth in the last eight seasons. Adare will rue letting this one slip, as Darren O’Doherty kicked a pressure point, to prolong this slugfest.

Before that, Newcastle West were 1-3 to 1-2 ahead at the interval. As Mike McMahan flicked to the net on 20 minutes. His goal was cancelled out by Robbie Bourke, who thumped home a superb penalty in first half-stoppage time. Iain Corbett had fouled Shane O’Connor.

Willie Griffin leveled the contest on 43 minutes as Newcastle West’s radar was off. Jimmy Lee’s men did inch ahead but O’Connor then found the net breath fresh life into this contest and give Adare real belief.

After points at either end, including two frees from Thomas Quilligan, the game was level going into five added minutes. A free gave Mark Connolly the chance to possibly win the game and he tapped over from the 20 meter line.

Adare, now playing with 14 after a black card for Mikey Lyons, regained possession. But with a sub being made, they resumed and with 15 on the pitch, referee Timmy McGrath threw the ball in. Newcastle West won a free, moved the ball to Thomas Quilligan who picked a pass to O’Doherty, who held his nerve to send the game to extra-time.

There was time for James Kelly and Cian Sparling to receive a yellow and black card, respectively, with Kelly off for his second.

Crucially, at the start of the extra period, Adare had 13 players, against 15 from Newcastle West. The Magpies seized control with Iain Corbett landing the first of three for his side.

The second period was a tighter affair with Mike McMahon’s point enough to give Newcastle West the three-point advantage. They held on to retain their title for the first time in their proud history.

Mike McMahon was awarded man-of-the-match with his fielding adding to his scoring prowess, as players tired all over the pitch.

Scorers:
NEWCASTLE WEST: Mike McMahon 1-3 (0-1 mark); Thomas Quilligan (frees), Diarmaid Kelly (0-1 free) 0-2 each; Emmet Rigter, Iain Corbett, Darren O’Doherty, Shane Stack 0-1 each.

ADARE: Robbie Bourke 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free); Mark Connolly 0-3 (0-2f); Shane O’Connor 1-0; Willie Griffin 0-1.

Newcastle West: Mike Quilligan; Mike O’Keeffe, Darren O’Doherty, Brian O’Sullivan; Ruadhan O’Connor, James Kelly, Cian Sheehan; Emmet Rigter, Iain Corbett (C); Seán Murphy, Seán Stack, Diamuid Kelly; Eoin Hurley, Mike McMahon, Bryan Nix.

Subs: Thomas Qulligan for Hurley (47), Todd Donovan for Murphy (54), Sean Hurley for Kelly (full time), Hurley for O’Connor (61), Aaron Neville for O’Doherty (83), Sean Murphy for D Kelly (89).

Adare: Jeffrey Alfred; Oran Collins, David Connolly, Jack Fitzgerald; Josh Toomey, Shane Doherty ©, Paul Maher; Roy Glesson, Joe Sweeney; Shane Costello, Robbie Bourke, Davy Lyons; Willie Griffin, Mark Connolly, Mikey Lyons.

Subs: Shane O’Connor for D Lyons (13, inj), Jack English for Gleeson (54), Cian Sparling for Collins (62), Adam Canny for M Lyons (83), Charlie McCarthy for Griffin (89)

Referee: Timmy McGrath (Oola)