INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 2-12 Glin 0-14. Second-half goals from Peter Nash and Dylan Corrigan helped our intermediate footballers to victory over Glin in this vital Championship match in Askeaton! This win keeps our hopes of making the knockout stages alive with two games to go! It was a composed second-half performance as we played into the teeth of a strong wind, but we were clinical when we had to be. We played into that same breeze in the first half and although we started well, we perhaps didn’t capitalise as much as we would have liked.

 

Peter Nash kicked the first score of the day from open play, and this was soon followed by a lovely score from Conor Staff, who cut across the ball with the outside of his right foot and bent it between the uprights. A left-footed free from Peter opened our lead out further before he took a ball at pace onto his right foot and landed a monster point, which raked the clouds on its way over. This gave us a four points to no score lead but, after we had put a lot of early pressure on the Glin kickouts particularly through Cathal Downes, they slowly began to work their way into the game. They would land a couple of frees before our next score: Liam O’Sullivan found Peter Nash with a lovely kickpass, Peter danced inside the defender before laying it off to Darragh Deegan to hammer over the crossbar with a powerful effort.

 

But although we led by 3, Glin began to move the ball better and although kicked a few wides from open play, were able to work frees in shooting positions. Slowly but surely, they began to eat into our lead, all from placed balls. They were making things very difficult for our backs, moving the ball at pace and getting their speedy forwards to run into space. So, although we were playing with the wind, we soon found our lead wiped out and Glin actually took the lead with their sixth free of the game. John Chawke was also called into action at this juncture, as a Glin forward took a shot on goal from the left-hand side but John was well-positioned, had covered his angles and made a strong save.

 

However, we still needed to relieve the pressure and some good link-up play between Cathal Downes and Peter Nash then saw Peter offload to an onrushing Conor Staff, who clipped over his second point of the half in some style with his right foot. This levelled the game again and although Glin would then hit their first point from play to put themselves back into the lead, it would be all-square at half-time. Cathal Downes used his pace and power to attack down the left flank, he was tripped and Peter popped the resulting free over the bar to leave the half-time score: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 0-7 Glin 0-7.

 

There was still a sizeable task ahead of us heading into the second half; a strong Glin side now had the wind advantage but we knew we hadn’t played to the absolute best of our ability and had more to offer. We missed a couple of early opportunities kicking into the wind, and Glin would then take the lead with a nicely-taken score. But we showed our cool heads throughout the second half, the likes of Peter Nash, Conor Staff, Tony McCarthy and Cathal Downes got on plenty of ball and there were willing runners all over the pitch. Conor fed a nice ball into Peter in the full-forward line who had goal on his mind but saw his powerful shot flash over the bar. And when Peter converted another free close to goal, we had re-taken the lead early in the second half.

 

But Glin are a well-seasoned team at this grade, a side who made the knockout stages just last year, and came back at us very strongly. They would reel off the next three scores in a row and seemed to have runners coming from everywhere. This was their real purple patch of the game as all teams at this level will have. Once again, we did respond admirably and when Peter was fed the ball, the Glin backs tried to force him wide onto the left and were attempting to stop him shooting off his right foot. Peter took the shot on his left foot, a glorious curled effort which sailed right over the black spot and reduced the deficit to just a single point again.

 

Glin came back with the next point of the game, before arguably, the game’s crucial moment. The game was hanging in the balance, but Glin were motoring well and we struck at an absolutely vital time! Tony McCarthy fed a great ball into the full-forward line, Peter escaped from his marker once again and attacked the goal from the right-hand side. Once again, he had goal on his mind, and this time he made no mistake as he finished low across the keeper and into the back of the net. This brought his tally from play for the day to 1-4, having already kicked three frees. Crucially, we were able to follow the goal up with the next score. Conor Staff burst through the middle and kicked for a point but it dropped just short, and substitute Paudie Walsh was quickest to react to get a strong fist on the ball and saw it fly over the bar!

 

There was serious drama in the final few minutes as Glin came back strong once again. They kicked a score from play to reduce our lad back to one point, before kicking a free to level matters once again. It meant that we went into the final two minutes of ordinary time all square. We continued to trust the way we had been playing, players kept showing for the ball and we were able to work the ball into a shooting position. Peter Nash, Dylan Corrigan and Paudie Walsh linked up well, forcing the Glin backs into a foul. Peter Nash kept his cool to convert the free, bringing his overall tally for the day to 1-8 and most importantly, giving us a one-point lead at a most vital stage!

 

Glin launched everything at us in a final assault and won a free just outside the ’45. The ball was floated dangerously in around the square but John Chawke did absolutely brilliantly to claim it cleanly amongst a huge bunch of players and carried it out, winning a free. He quickly took the free to start what was by far the move of the match. John found Tony McCarthy with the quick free into space and Tony then linked up with the powerful running of Darragh Deegan. Darragh carried the ball down the left wing before popping a handpass for Paudie Walsh. Paudie showed superb vision to spray the ball crossfield and straight into the waiting arms of Dylan Corrigan close to goal. Dylan hadn’t scored from play but had won three vital frees through his elusive running and this time, he slipped inside the defender and buried the ball in the back of the net to seal the victory!

 

This was our first win at this grade and means we are just two points off a quarter-final spot with two games left to play. There is now a short turnaround to the Mungret game on the bank holiday weekend. Well done to all involved on what was a great victory, the players put in a superb effort and well done to the management team of Mark Lane, Killian O’Leary, Damien O’Brien, John Barry and Alan Fitzgerald for their efforts!

 

Team: John Chawke; Barry Walsh, Shaun Barry, Kevin O’Connell; Mossy Sheehan, Bob McKeogh, James Pomeroy; Tony McCarthy, Conor Staff (0-2), Lorcan O’Leary; Cathal Downes, Darragh Deegan (0-1), Dylan Corrigan (1-0); Peter Nash (1-8, 0-4 frees), Liam O’Sullivan

 

Subs: Brian Howard for Barry Walsh (half-time); Paudie Walsh (0-1) for Liam O’Sullivan (47 mins)

 

PREMIER INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Our premier intermediate hurlers return after the summer break this weekend as they face Mungret at 7pm in Ballybrown on Saturday evening, August 10. Please come out and support the lads as they look to continue their unbeaten run! We will then face Bruff the following Saturday, August 24, in Claughaun at 6pm as the games start to come thick and fast.

 

U-16 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Kildimo/Pallaskenry 6-17 Glenroe 4-17. Our U-16 hurlers won an absolute epic in Kildimo against Glenroe in absolutely dreadful weather conditions. The rain was of biblical proportions, sweeping across the pitch making visibility difficult for spectators, let alone players! But our players showed huge resolve as they dug in to secure a fantastic victory, racking up a huge 6-17 along the way. It means we have booked our place in the final of this competition and that is testament to the skill and determination of these players, well done to all involved!

 

UNDERAGE TRAINING: We are delighted to have our own club and county star, Kyle Hayes, join us for underage training in Pallaskenry on Tuesday to pass some skills onto the next generation!

 

CLUB LOTTO: There was no winner of the club lotto this week, and the prize fund increases to €2,900 for next week’s draw.

 

REGISTRATION: The deadline for registration has now passed; anybody who has not registered or paid, please do so as soon as possible as unregistered players are ineligible to take the field or to train with the club.

 

CLUB LIMERICK DRAW: We had a winner in the July edition of the Club Limerick draw as M & A O’Sullivan took home €250! There is no better way to support both and show our players that you are supporting them all the way! Kildimo Pallaskenry GAA is very fortunate to have a number of players involved with county teams in both hurling and football across a number of grades. Join the CLUB Limerick Draw online or with any club committee member. Support your club and county teams!

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