Adare see off Monaleen to book Limerick senior football semi-final place

ADARE booked their place in the Irish Wire Products Limerick Senior Football Championship semi-finals with a 0-17 to 0-13 victory over Monaleen in Bruff this Saturday afternoon.

A dominant third quarter saw Harry Gleeson’s men finish top of Group One and into the last four.

Hugh Bourke top scored with 0-7 for the championship holders, while Shane Costelloe sent over four points, including a superb two-pointer in the second half.

READ MORE: Mungret St Paul's ease past St Kieran's as both sides reach Limerick senior football quarter-finals

Limerick inter-county hurler Donnacha Ó Dálaigh was in impressive form for Monaleen with four points but it wasn’t enough to see the city division side topple Adare to finish top of the group.

Monaleen have, however, qualified for the senior football quarter-finals.

The game took a while to really get going but it was Davy Lyons that opened the scoring for Adare after a couple of minutes.

Shane Costelloe then had a goal chance after Lyons’ pass but his effort was cleared off the line by Padraig Quinn.

Eoghan Costello and Shane Costelloe then sent over a pair of points that saw Adare lead by 0-3 to 0-0.

Monaleen eventually settled into the contest with Ó Dálaigh and Ó Siochru both hitting the target.

A Robbie Bourke ’45 restored Adare’s two-point advantage but an excellent Jack Canny reply brought the deficit back to the minimum.

Robbie Bourke then hit a cracker of a two-point free with Alan Nicholas landing a score for Monaleen moments later, before Ó Dálaigh again made it a one-point game once again.

Hugh Bourke then popped over a point from play after good work from Shane O’Connor that left the half-time score at 0-7 to 0-5 in Adare’s favour.

Ó Siochru opened the scoring at the start of the second half but it was from there that Adare took a firm grip on the game.

Hugh Bourke sent over a pair of frees and then Costelloe fired over a corker of a two-pointer from play that stretched Adare’s advantage to five.

Moments later it was at six points with Costelloe on target once again and then Hugh Bourke kicked a two-point free that effectively clinched the game.

Ó Siochru got a point back for Adare but Hugh Bourke continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over for his side.

Canny popped over a couple of points to give Monaleen hope, as did Ó Dálaigh, but Monaleen were unable to get a goal they needed to propel themselves into a possible comeback. However, Monaleen do qualify for the quarter-finals despite the defeat.

SCORERS: Adare: Hugh Bourke 0-7 (1 2pf, 3f), Shane Costelloe 0-4, Robbie Bourke 0-3 (1 2pf, 1 ‘45), Davy Lyons 0-2 and Eoghan Costello 0-1; Monaleen: Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-4, Tadgh Ó Siochru (2f) and Jack Canny 0-3 each, Conall Ó Duinn 0-2, Alan Nicholas 0-1.

ADARE: Jeffrey Alfred; Oran Collins, Eoghan Costello, Stephen Flynn; Cian Sparling, Jack Fitzgerald, Paul Maher; Joe Sweeney, Robbie Bourke; Davy Lyons, Hugh Bourke, Darragh Lane; Shane Costelloe, Shane O’Connor, Jack English. Subs: Mike Keane for Flynn (h-t), Mikey Lyons for English (40 mins), Ollie Desmond for Lane (45 mins), Michael O’Mahony for O’Connor (50 mins), David O’Mahony for Costelloe (54 mins).

MONALEEN: Dermot Dineen; Conor Carew, Ger Clancy, Andrew Kearney; Peter Hempenstall, Darragh Kennedy, Padraig Quinn; Niall Loughran, Luke Murphy; Conall Ó Duinn, Alan Nicholas, Tadgh Ó Siochru; Donnacha Ó Dálaigh. Subs: Jack Doyle for Quinn (13 mins, inj), Aaron Kennedy for Murphy (42 mins), Paul Canny for Nicholas (48 mins), Barry Griffin for Torpey (55 mins), Charlie Casey for Carew (62 mins).

REFEREE: Mikey Browne (Drom-Broadford).