Kildimo-Pallaskenry deny Dromcollogher-Broadford in Limerick U19 'A' football final

“GREAT comeback even though it was touch and go at the end. The changes we made made the difference”, was manager Kieran McMahon's analysis of Monday evening's U-19A football final in Rathkeale's Sean Finn Park where his Kildimo-Pallaskenry side retained the county title they won for the first time in 2022 on a 1-12 to 3-4 scoreline.

And they didn't go the easy way about it. Bossed around in the middle and getting the full force of Dromcollogher-Broadford's running game up into the heart of defence, it looked as if they were handing back the trophy when they trailed by seven points coming up to half-time.

However, major surgery on the starting lineup changed their fortunes when they brought on two subs just before the break and another two during it.

The altered balance of their forces from midfield up gave them the chance to get the best out of their strengths. Once they steadied themselve up in the engine room, they were able to find their flyers and their finishers up front to open up the spaces for the scores before a late goal closed off the result.

That said, they still didn't get it easy and the most productive spell of their night, when they patiently ate into the deficit, came when a black card reduced Drom to fourteen.

Not only did it bring them back to within touching distance but the relentless pressure robbed their opponents of the sense of destiny that gave them their first-half advantage.

Kildimo-Pallaskenry got straight down to business as Ciarán McMahon finished off a move straight from the throw-in, but were then outdone minutes later when Aaron Leahy's fist connected with a free dropping short and directed the ball past Ryan Manning.

Patrick Ivess pulled one back but, inspired by the goal, Micheál Fahy and Brian O'Callaghan began to hoover up the primary possession and their runs at the heart of the opposing defence, led to O'Callaghan's point which was followed in the next move by Diarmuid Curtin running onto Alan Power's fisted pass to drive to the net.

When Power struck twice inside a minute on the quarter mark, Drom' were coming out on top in all sectors of the field but they allowed their intensity to drop for Ivess to reply off a free.

Adam O'Kelly's point on the 30th minute restored the margin to seven points but, after bringing on two subs in injury time, the Pallaskenry club picked off two late points through Tiernan Meaney and Cian Arthur to pull it back to 2-4 to 0-5 at the break.

Drom' had a few early chances after the break, but their share of possession dropped following Leahy's black card, giving the Estuary side the chance to use the energy of their replacements.

Two points by Arthur and another by Seán Kavanagh had them back to within two by the three-quarter mark but Drom, despite being overtaken in midfield, were in no mood to surrender and it took another five hard-fought minutes after the numbers were evened up before before Ivess' free followed McMahon's point off a sustained attack to tie up the scores.

The Broadford club had two chances for an immediate response, but both of them missed the target and a break from deep off the second one gave Kavanagh the chance to put the Kenrymen ahead for the first time since the third minute.

With their touch, their energy and their shape beginning to flag, Drom's efforts to respond were mopped up by the soaring conviction of the opposing defence and the coup de grace came when Seán Hartigan's pinpoint crossfield pass dropped right into the path of the inrushing Eddie McLoughlin to smack over the line.

Ivess' added-time point then added another layer of comfort before Drom finally found joy at the end of an attack when Fahy collected off a quick free to drive the football into the low far corner. Unfortunately for them, that was the last movement of the game.

SCORERS: KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Patrick Ivess 0-4 (2 frees), Eddie McLoughlin 1-0, Cian Arthur 0-3, Ciarán McMahon, Seán Kavanagh 0-2 each, Tiernan Meaney 0-1: DROMCOLLOGHER-BROADFORD: Aaron Leahy, Brian O'Callaghan, Micheál Fahy 1-0 each, Alan Power 0-2, Diarmuid Curtin, Adam O'Kelly 0-1 each

KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Ryan Manning; Shane Shane O'Sullivan, James Ranahan, Patrick Kenny; Dylan Moloney, Tiernan Meaney, Jonathan McLoughlin; Conor McMahon, David Fitzgerald; Eddie McLoughlin, Ciarán McMahon, Patrick Ivess; Cian Arthur, Ken Leahy, Ethan Browne. SUBS: Seán Hartigan for Jonathan McLoughlin (28 minutes), Seán Kavanagh for Ken Leahy (28 minutes), Cian O'Sullivan for Patrick Kenny (half-time), Ben Higgins for Dylan Moloney (half-time), Sam Guerin for David Fitzgerald (62 minutes).

DROMCOLLOGHER-BROADFORD: Naoise O'Connor; Gerard O'Callaghan, Eoin O'Brien, Éamonn Ryan; Shane Geary, Tommy, Ryan, Conor O'Brien; Diarmuid Curtain, Brian O'Callaghan; Micheál Fahy, Paddy Ryan, Danny Mullane; Alan Power, Aaron Leahy, Adam O'Kelly. SUBS: Ronan O'Sullivan for Shane Geary (injured, half-time), Michael Pierce for Tommy Ryan (61 minutes).

REFEREE: Liam Fitzgerald (Claughaun).