BRUFF and Monaleen will contest the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final at Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock tomorrow at 3pm.
Monaleen have been installed as favourites to return to the top-flight in 2023, the reward for the winners. The Eoin Brislane managed side have a lively bunch, one which includes Bryan Canny, Jamie Porter, Lorcan Lyons (captain), Ed Doyle, Mark O’Dywer, John Nicholas, and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh.
Panellist Damien Cosgrave was man-of-the-match when Monaleen won the then Intermediate Championship way back in 1997.
Soon to be a five-time All-Star, Seán Finn (captain) heads-up the Bruff challenge, alongside James O’Riordan, Seán Murnane, Paul Browne, Paul O’Riordan, Danny O’Leary, and Kyle Dillon.
Cork legend Jerry O’Connor, a Garda in the town, is coach to Bruff, where nearby Lough Gur provided a spectacular backdrop for the official portrait of the three-in-a-row All-Ireland Senior Hurling winning Limerick squad on Sunday morning.
John O’Halloran (Bruree) will referee. The match will be played live on Limerick GAA TV.
At Intermediate level, Croagh/Kilfinny and Na Piarsaigh will contest next month’s Nick Greene Sportsground sponsored final after semi-final defeats of Pallasgreen and Grangh/Ballingarry, respectively.
Soccer: TREATY United are away to Waterford United in the second leg of their SSE Airtricity First Division promotion play-off semi-final at the Regional Sports Complex on Saturday next, 7.45pm.
The first leg was played this Wednesday night at the Markets Field. The other semi-final is between Galway United and Longford Town, with the final listed for the weekend after next.
Whoever comes through this promotion play-off phase will face the ninth place Premier Division side to determine who competes in the top-flight next season.
In their last regular league fixture of the season, Treaty suffered a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Wexford Youths on Friday, but the coveted play-off berth had already been secured by Tommy Barrett’s side before kick-off.
On the local front, Pike Rovers have joined Fairview Rangers at the top of the Premier League following a terrific 4-0 win at Carew Park, with the goals arriving from Eoin Hanrahan, Steve McGann, Aaron Murphy, and Kevin Barry.
The hoops will aim to keep the momentum up when they travel to Aisling Annacotty on Sunday morning next, with Fairview Rangers likely to have picked up maximum points the previous evening at home to Mungret Regional.
Nenagh AFC entertain Pike in the quarter-final of the Tuohy Cup this Thursday night.
Racing: RATHER uniquely, Michael McDonagh (Garrynacurra Stud Cratloe) owned and trained the winner, Happy Dreams, in a race he sponsored at Sunday’s well attended Munster National Meeting at Greenmount Park, Patrickswell.
“Happy Dreams (13/2, ridden by Cathal Landers) was a bit unlucky the last day when he fell at the last. He probably wasn’t going to win but was going ok and I think he learned from the fall. He is a bit hyper, we had the hood on today and it settled him,” McDonogh told irishracing.com.
“He won’t be a star but will be ok and he’ll be good enough for us. He’ll come back here again at Christmas.”
Trainer Andy Slattery of Tipperary enjoyed a big victory in the Listed Dunraven Arms Hotel Novice Hurdle courtesy of Plains Indian (5/1), completing a double for Danny Mullins. The winner is owned by Eithne Thompson, Athlacca.
The featured TJ McNamara Ladbrokes Munster National of €90,000 was won by Peter Fahey’s The Big Dog (16/1) under Keith Donoghue.
Donkey Years, for Rathkeale trainer Eric McNamara and owner JP McManus of Martinstown, finished third.
In the concluding Limerick Post Bumper, victory went to Barry Connell trained/John Gleeson ridden Shoot the Blues, a 5/2 shot.
Hotelier Bryan Murphy of Adare is the new Chairman at Limerick Racecourse, having recently succeeded Mark McMahon, who remains as director.
Rugby: YOUNG Munster have an opportunity to make it three wins on the trot in Division 1A of the Energia All-Ireland League with victory over Lansdowne at Tom Clifford Park on Saturday next, kick-off 2.30pm.
The Cookies enter the contest fresh from a 23-10 win at UCD and have an in-form captain in Alan Kennedy.
Elsewhere in the top-flight on Saturday, Shannon are at Castle Avenue to face Clontarf and Garryowen are away to Cork Constitution at Temple Hill.
In Division 2A, Old Crescent entertain Navan at Takumi Park and UL Bohemian meet Dolpin at Musgrave Park, while Bruff have a long trip to Upritchard Park to tackle Bangor in Division 2C.
