AFTER a dramatic weekend of action in the Limerick SFC, there are just two sides who are unsure of their place after the group stages with ten of the twelve teams assured of a knockout or relegation play-off place.
Those two teams are Ballysteen and Drom Broadford who played out a pulsating draw in Newcastle West on Sunday in Group 1.
Ballysteen looked home and hosed at 2-9 to 0-7 after forty minutes with Danny Neville and John O’Shaughnessy grabbing their goals.
However, successive Drom points were followed by a pair of Ballysteen black cards which gave Drom the impetus to close the gap to three.
Derry McCarthy’s late penalty would secure the 2-9 to 1-12 draw.
Ballysteen now move on to face Newcastle this Saturday knowing any result other than a 12+ loss will see them through alongside the defending champions.
The SFC action kicked off on Friday evening with the Group 2 clash of Fr Caseys and Na Piarsaigh. After a heavy loss to Adare in Round 1, Na Piarsaigh had their backs to the wall and responded as such as they took the game to Fr Caseys early on.
They lead 0-3 to 0-2 at the first water break which was stretched to three shortly after. Caseys would get three of their own to level but Gordon Browne ensured Nap’s advantage at the half.
Approaching the final quarter, Caseys would draw level before they grabbed the games first goal with Chris Smith plundering to the net to give them a 1-9 to 0-9 lead at the water break.
They would tack on the next four scores to move seven clear heading into injury time.
They would not score again as 1-2 on the bounce from Na Piarsaigh brought them to within two points.
However, Anthony Kavanagh’s goal would prove too little too late as Caseys 1-13 to 1-11 win moves them on to a top of the table clash with Adare while Na Piarsaigh wait to learn their opponent in the relegation semi finals.
Groups 3 & 4 were then decided on Saturday with a game from each group.
In the early game, Monaleen made their championship bow against St Kierans who had lost to Galbally in the first round.
Not showing any signs of rustiness in their opener, Monaleen raced into a an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead against the West side. That deficit was down to one at the water break before a brace of Brian Donovan frees had them 0-5 to 0-3 clear at the break.
As they did in the first, Monaleen had the first three scores of the second half to move into a 0-8 to 0-3 lead.
John Hayes bagged a couple for St Kierans but they could never get closer to the City team who grabbed four of the last five scores to book their place in the quarter-finals with a 0-11 to 0-6 win.
They play Galbally next weekend to see who finishes top of the pile while St Kierans face into the relegation play offs.
In Group 4, Ballylanders took on neighbours Galtee Gaels in their first championship game of the season.
After their loss to Oola the previous week, Galtee Gales knew they needed a result with both teams in attacking form from the off.
They split the first eight scores as they went into the water break level at 0-4 apiece.
This trend would continue for the rest of the half as they were level seven times in the first half hour with the scoreboard reading 0-7 to 0-7 at the short whistle.
The third quarter was a much more tentative affair with Ballylanders getting the only two scores to move in to the largest lead of the night at 0-9 to 0-7.
They would then take control after the waterbreak.
They would move 0-10 to 0-7 clear before Galtee Gaels brought it back to two. That would be Galtee Gaels final score of the evening as 1-6 on the bounce from Ballylanders helped them secure a comprehensive 1-16 to 0-8 win.
Galtee Gaels now face the threat of relegation straight after earning promotion while Ballylanders can finish top of the pile with a draw against Oola in the final round.
Round 2 Results
G1: Ballysteen 2-9 : 1-12 Drom Broadford
G2: Fr Caseys 1-13 : 1-11 Na Piarsaigh
G3: Monaleen 0-11 : 0-5 St Kierans
G4: Ballylanders 1-16 : 0-8 Galtee Gaels
Intermediate Football Championship
After a disrupted first weekend, there was a full round of fixtures in the Intermediate football championship, beginning on Thursday night with the clash of Rathkeale and Mountcollins.
After both sat out the opening weekend, Rathkeale were the quickest out the blocks and had the first eight scores of the game to take a commanding grip on proceedings.
Mountcollins grew into the game but heading into the final water break of the evening, they were still trailing by 0-12 to 0-4.
Barry Coleman’s goal shortly after for Rathkeale put the game beyond doubt as Tom McCarthy’s goal acted as a consolation for Mountcollins.
In the end it would finish 1-14 to 1-5 with Rathkeale meeting Claughaun on Tuesday and Mountcollins facing the City side at the weekend.
In Group 2, last years losing finalists, Gerald Griffins got their campaign off to a perfect start with a comprehensive 2-15 to 1-3 win over Pallasgreen.
Griffins began with serious intent as they opened the scoring with a goal.
Pallasgreen did bag a goal of their own shortly after but Griffins were 1-7 to 1-2 clear at the half time whistle.
In the final half hour, the West side would limit their opponents to a solitary point as they tacked on another 1-8 to secure a dominant win and put one foot in the knockout stages.
They play St Patricks in Askeaton this Wednesday where a draw will be enough to advance.
In Group 3, Glin became the only side across the top two tiers to win after losing their opener after they beat Bruff 2-10 to 2-5 on Saturday evening.
The sides exchanged scores to open proceedings before Bruff got the games first goal to push 1-2 to 0-3 clear after 18 minutes.
However, Glin goals either side of the half time whistle had them 2-5 to 1-3 ahead after 31 minutes.
At the second water break, this lead was out to 2-8 to 1-4 with Glin looking comfortable.
Bruff to their credit did net a second goal but Glin held out for the win to keep their season alive.
St Senans face Bruff in the final group game with the latter needing a 9+ point win to move into the knockout stages and send St Senans to the relegation play offs.
The relegation and quarter-final situation in Group 4 is almost complete as Kildimo Pallasknery’s win over Monaleen guaranteed their progression to the final 8 alongside Mungret.
That 0-15 to 2-7 win means Monaleen will play in a relegation semi-final.
There was nothing to separate the teams in the first half as they were level at 0-4 apiece at the water break and 0-6 to 0-6 at the short whistle.
Kildimo Pallaskenry took over in the third quarter, reeling off six unanswered to move into a commanding 0-12 to 0-6 lead.
However, a brace of Monaleen goals pulled them to within one at 0-14 to 2-7 with five minutes to play.
Kildimo Pallaskenry would get the final score to clinch the win however.
Round 2 Results
G1: Rathkeale 1-14 : 1-5 Mountcollins
G2: Gerald Griffins 2-15 : 1-3 St Patricks
G3: Glin 2-10 : 2-5 Bruff
G4: Kildimo Pallaskenry 0-15 : 2-7 Monaleen
Junior A Football Championship
Croom were given a walkover by South Liberties in the only game in the first group. According to the Limerick GAA website, Liberties have been pulled from the competition with Ffr Casyes also awarded a victory against the East side.
Fr Caseys meet Castlemahon on Tuesday before the group rounds off with the clash of Croom and Castlemahon next weekend.
In Group 2, Ballybrown and Monagea ensured safe passage to the last eight as they maintained their 100% records in the competition.
Ballybrown were 2-8 to 1-4 winners over Cappamore while Monagea beat Cappagh 3-9 to 0-9.
They meet in Round 3 to see who finishes top while Cappamore and Cappagh face off to see who avoids the relegation deciders.
Kilteely Dromkeen booked their place in the quarter-finals as they beat Crecora Manister 1-10 to 0-11 on Sunday afternoon in Group 3.
There have only been two games played in this group at the time of writing with plenty left to play for with Ahane facing Crecora on Thursday before meeting Drom next Sunday.
In the final Group, Athea and Newcastle West will move into the quarter-finals after they picked up their second consecutive wins. Newcastle West beat Bruree 1-11 to 0-3 but the biggest story to come out of the championship was Athea’s 9-23! to 0-5 win over Hospital Herbertstown that gives Athea an average winning margin of 34 points a game.
They play Newcastle West next weekend with Bruree and Hospital meeting to determine who finishes bottom.
Round 2 Results
G1: Croom w/o : scr South Liberties
G2: Ballybrown 2-8 : 11-4 Cappamore
G2: Monagea 3-9 : 0-9 Cappagh
G3: Kilteely Dromkeen 1-10 : 0-11 Crecora Manister
G4: Newcastle West 1-11 : 0-3 Bruree
G4: Athea 9-23 : 0-5 Hospital Herbertstown
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