PREMIER INTERMEDIATE HURLERS: Ahead of our first season at the Premier Intermediate grade, we are delighted to announce that Barry O'Connell and Cían Hayes will be our joint captains for the season ahead. Both are real leaders on the pitch, and we hope that they will lead us on to even more success in 2018.

 

U-21 CITY HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 1-13 Claughaun/Old Christians 2-13. Missing a number of players through injury and various other reasons, our U-21 hurlers put in a battling performance in Rathbane against a very strong Claughaun/Old Christians side, but came up just short. Our injury woes intensified in the opening stages, as captain Darren O'Connell was forced off after just six minutes. Liam Griffin had opened the scoring from a free after he himself had been fouled, but our opponents had tied things up before Darren was forced off. We battled on though, and Liam hit a nice point from play from some distance out. We thought that we had extended our lead when Dylan Corrigan looked to have split the uprights from a tight angle but the umpire adjudged the shot to have gone wide. Liam did extend our lead to two points with another free, and he then exchanged frees with the Claughaun/Old Christians freetaker as we led by four points to two. We were battling well all over the pitch; Liam and Darragh O'Brien hassling constantly in midfield; Shaun Barry leading from the front in attack and the likes of Ciarán Downes, Steven O'Brien and Martin Neville getting stuck in at the back.

 

A point from play for our opponents was responded to in some style; Martin Neville did excellently to win the ball in our half-back line, found Adam Butler with a smart handpass and with a flick of the wrist, Adam split the posts from distance. It was a lovely score that gave us a two-point lead once again. However, Claughaun/Old Christians managed to find an opening, with their midfielder driving a low shot past James Mason and into the back of the net. We didn't let the goal rattle us, and Adam would soon convert a point from a close-range free to level things up again. They did manage to get two points in a row as we approached the half-time break, one from play and one from a free. Adam would get his third score of the game with another free but a point from a Claughaun/Old Christians midfielder would ensure they led by two at the break on a scoreline of Kildimo/Pallaskenry 0-7 Claughaun/Old Christians 1-6.

 

The heavy rain over the few days previous made it a game where defences on both sides were on top, and it was difficult for forwards to influence the game. Our backs were in fine form themselves, battling for everything and our forwards did their best in trying conditions. Liam Griffin narrowed the gap to one just after a break after Paudi Hartigan had won a '65. Our opponents would score two in a row before Liam hit yet another free. However, the crucial score of the game would go the way of the home side. A good team move saw the ball popped to a forward in space and he cleverly finished to the back of the net to raise their second green flag of the afternoon. The game was still not out of reach but it did mean we had to chase things a little. Liam exchanged frees with their freetaker, before Adam scored his fourth point of the afternoon with yet another free. Darren O'Connell came back onto the field of play to aid us in our search for a goal and almost instantly won a penalty, as he was felled with a wild pull across his knee. Liam Griffin stepped up to take the penalty, but it was very well saved by the Claughaun/Old Christians goalkeeper.

 

Liam did respond to a Claughaun/Old Christians point with another free, his eighth score of the game. But as we entered the closing stages, we knew we needed a goal and maybe passed up opportunities to narrow the gap on the scoreboard. Our backs made things very difficult for the Claughaun/Old Christians forwards, forcing them to hit some bad wides but they did hit a couple of frees to just keep extending their lead. At four points down with just minutes remaining, we did find a breakthrough. Conor Staff drove at their defence before playing a lovely angled ball to Darren O'Connell who stepped outside his marker and finished to the back of the net for his fourth goal in two games. Adam reduced the gap to just a goal as he dropped a late free over the bar, but we just didn't manage to get the opportunity to get one more goal chance and the referee blew the final whistle. It was a brave, battling performance and we're still in with a good chance of making the City Final. Next week, we face our near neighbours and rivals, Ballybrown, in the final group game, knowing that a victory will see us into the final. It should be a tasty affair in Pallaskenry and we'd hope that people come out in support of the lads.

 

Team: James Mason; Jack Mullane, Luke O'Keeffe, Ciarán Downes; Martin Neville, Lorcan O'Leary, Steven O'Brien; Darragh O'Brien, Liam Griffin (0-8, 0-7 frees); Adam Butler (0-5, 0-4 frees), Shaun Barry, Naoise McGarrigle; Dylan Corrigan, Darren O'Connell (1-0), Matthew Lucey

 

Subs: Paudi Hartigan for Darren O'Connell (6 mins); Conor Staff for Jack Mullane (21 mins); Jack Mullane for Matthew Lucey (half-time); Darren O'Connell for Dylan Corrigan (44 mins); Cathal O'Shaughnessy for Paudi Hartigan (51 mins)

 

U-14 FÉILE PEIL: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 4-3 Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan 0-2. Our U-14 footballers had an absolutely super victory in the first round of the Féile Peil competition away to near neighbours Askeaton/Ballysteen/Kilcornan. Our ability to clinically take goal opportunities when they came our way was a real asset but it was a powerful performance all over the field, keeping our opposition to just two points. This means that we advance to Round 2 of the competition and if we play with the same style and swagger, there could be plenty more to come! Thanks to all players, parents and coaches.

 

MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION EVENINGS: Both new and existing members will have the opportunity to register for the 2018 season on Thursday February 22 and Thursday March 1 in the Clubhouse in Kildimo and on Friday February 23 and Friday March 2 in the Library in Pallaskenry.

 

Registration will be from 7pm to 8pm each evening.

 

Membership fees are €60 for an adult player, €75 for a family, €40 for a juvenile, €40 for a student and €40 for a non-player.

 

We will have registration forms put up on Facebook and the Team App for people to download and print off in advance if you wish.

 

JUNIOR A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW: The Junior A Football Championship is being played on an all-county basis in 2018 and the draw has been made for the season ahead. We have been drawn in Group 1, with four other teams. We have been drawn with old foes Crecora/Manister with whom we've had some great battles over the past couple of years in the City Division. We've also been drawn with last year's East champions, Kilteely/Dromkeen, who are sure to be very formidable opponents. From the West, we will face Newcastlewest, runners-up in the West Championship for the last two years on the trot. Finally, there is also a team from the South division, Hospital/Herbertstown, who were Intermediate only a couple of seasons ago. It looks to be a tough group, but it is a challenge our lads will surely relish.

 

GAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarship Application Forms are now available for Irish Summer Courses at one of the Munster Gaeltacht Colleges for 2018. Applicants must be registered members of the club. Completed forms should be returned to the club secretary Sean Cuddihy, Dromore, Kildimo by Friday February 23. Forms can be downloaded from the Team App, the club Facebook page or requested from club officials.

 

LIMERICK SENIOR HURLERS: Congratulations to Barry O'Connell who featured in Limerick's convincing victory over Dublin in the National Hurling League, and also scored a point from play. It means Limerick have now won three games from three, with two games to go. We'd like to wish Barry, Kyle Hayes and the rest of the Limerick panel the very best of luck ahead of the two remaining fixtures.

 

CÚL CAMP: The date for this year's Cúl Camp will be July 16 to July 20.

Tweet

Most Read Stories