Adare secure Limerick senior football championship title with gritty victory over Fr Caseys

ADARE have captured their fourth Irish Wire Senior Football title after getting the better of Fr Casey's in the final on Sunday afternoon in Mick Neville Park Rathkeale on a 1-10 to 0-8 scoreline. 

After years of heartbreak, coming up short to Newcastle West in the last three county finals, Adare have finally captured the Fr Casey Cup.

Adare will now meet Éire Óg, Ennis, in the quarter-finals of the Munster senior club championship next Sunday in Cusack Park, Ennis at 1.15pm. 

Fr Caseys put it up to Adare in the second-half, but Harry Gleeson's squad showed their experience and determination to come out the right side of the scoreline. 

The four time consecutive county finalists, Adare, got their hands on the ball first straight off the throw-in with a steady attack opening the proceedings with Hugh and Robbie Bourke setting up the shot for midfielder Paul Maher, who did well to find some space in the Fr Caseys defence, slotting the ball over the bar for their first point of the game after two minutes. 

Fr Caseys looked to get their first score on the board, but some unstructured play and nerves saw them notch up two early wides in the opening minutes of the contest. 

Caseys' Mark McCarthy tried to inject a bit of pace into the game as Dylan Quirke fired the ball into the full-forward line with the ball breaking well for Martin Scannell's shot, which was saved bravely by Adare goalie Jeffery Alfred after six minutes of play. 

Adare's patience paid off well for them as they countered on the attack with Hugh Bourke turning off his left shoulder and opened up the defence to find himself through on goal making no mistake with the shot to put Adare 1-1 to 0-0 ahead after 11 minutes. 

Harry Gleeson's charges capitalised on their fantastic goal with Shane Costelloe slotting a point over the bar to keep the scoreboard ticking over. 

Adare showed their experience with some fantastic inter-linking hand passing. Caseys' Martin Scannell did well to defend the challenge but ended up giving away a lazy free to gift Hugh Bourke a shot from the left hand-side of the goal. Bourke's effort sailed over the cross bar to put them 1-3 ahead.

After making this mistake Scannell did extremely well move up into the attack and place a fabulous ball in front of a running Diarmuid Buckley who slotted over their first point of the game after 18 minutes of play. 

This first score was well needed for Eoin Joys' team with Caseys' forwards once again going on the attack with full-forward David Ward passing off to a looping Martin Scannell to send their second point over the black spot. 

These back-to-back points were vital for Caseys' who fired four shots wide before these two scores. Adare weathered the storm well and went back up the pitch to secure another free. Hugh Bourke stepped up to the mark again and made no mistake with his shot, keeping Adare five-points ahead. 

Fr Caseys would rue the missed attempts by their forwards with a number of shots hitting off the posts and falling favourable for the Adare defenders. 

The full-forward line for Gleeson's side were extremely impressive in the opening 30 minutes with a fantastic ball launched into Joe Sweeney who smartly used the mark. Bourke once again got an easy chance to keep Adare ahead at the break 1-5 to 0-2.

Fr Caseys opened the second-half brightly with Scannell and Enright linking up well to gain a free for their side. Eliah Riordan stepped up for his first attempt at a free. Taking the shot off the ground Riordan did well to get the opening score of the half. 

Despite this bright start Adare continued to apply the pressure with their half-backs making striking runs down the sidelines. Davy Lyons managed to get his hands on the ball to fire his shot over the bar to keep Adare leading by six-points. 

Throughout the contest Caseys' did well to move the ball quickly from their defence right through to their forwards with Diarmuid Buckley making a huge run up the pitch to find Rory O'Brien in the corner who fisted his attempt over the bar to put them 1-6 to 0-4 behind after 37 minutes. 

The Abbeyfeale men began to open up Adare's defence with David Ward finding himself shooting at the goal but again the luck was not with them as the ball hit off his own man. 

Scannell kept his men going though as he popped a free over to keep them within touching distance. 

Adare looked slightly tired in the middle of the second-half as Caseys continued to use their momentum as they pushed on with captain Daniel Daly firing over a beautiful shot from distance to put them only three points behind. 

With the game now in the balance it was Caseys who kept the pressure on in attack with Rory O'Brien once again finding himself on the ball, putting his shot straight over the bar. 

With all the pressure coming from the Abbeyfeale men Hugh Bourke slowed down the game for his side. Bourke managed to get past his marker and send a vital point over the bar for Adare to settle the game after 47 minutes, 1-7 to 0-7. 

In the second-half Caseys did well to win their frees, making cutting runs through the Adare defence, resulting in another free for them. From the ground Riordan fired over the shot on the 50 minute mark, but this score was outdone with Bourke stepping up for this fifth free of the game on the other end of the field. 

Adare managed to turn the tide in their favour in the closing minutes of the contest with a rebound of a goal shot falling into the hands of substitute Mikey Lyons, who made no mistake with his shot on 55 minutes. 

Mikey Lyons looked cool and composed after making his mark on the game minutes beforehand sending another shot straight over the bar to leave Adare ahead 1-10 to 0-8. 

These closing attempts by Lyons would be enough for Adare to close out the game and give them their first win in four consecutive county finals. 

SCORERS ADARE: Hugh Bourke 1-6 (0-4 frees, 0-1 mark),Mikey Lyons 0-2, Paul Maher, Shane Costelloe, Davy Lyons 0-1 each. FR CASEYS: Martin Scannell 0-2 (0-1 frees),Rory O'Brien 0-2, Diarmuid Buckley 0-1,  Eliah Riordan 0-2 (0-2 frees), Daniel Daly 0-1

ADARE: Jeffery Alfred, Shane Doherty, David Connolly, Darragh Lane, Davy Lyons, Eoghan Costlloe (C), Oran Collins, Paul Maher, Roy Gleeson, Shane Costelloe, Robbie Bourke, Ronan Connolly, Shane O'Connor, Joe Sweeney, Hugh Bourke SUBS: Cian Spraling for D Lane (44 minutes), Mikey Lyons for S Costelloe (47 minutes), Mike Keane for R Gleeson (50 minutes), Jack Fitzgerald for O Collins (57 minutes), Michael Southgate for S O'Connor (60 minutes)

FR CASEYS: Shane O'Connell, MarkMcCarthy, Fiachra Cotter, Sean Kilbridge, Culann Quigley, Mike Kilbridge, Diarmuid Buckley, Eliah Riordan, Sam Quigley, Daniel Daly (C), Martin Scannell, Dylan Quirke, Rory O'Brien, David Ward, Adrian Enright. SUBS: Cormac Roche for D Quirke (37 minutes), Donagh Kelly for D Ward (50 minutes), Calum Boyle for C Quigley (50 minutes), Eoghan O'Connell for M Scannell (55 minutes), Oisin Woulfe for E Riordan (59 minutes)

REFEREE: Donnacha O'Callaghan (Feoghangh-Castlehmahon)