Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan claim Limerick Intermediate crown with victory over St Senan's

Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan are 2025 Griffin Coaches Limerick Intermediate football champions after overcoming St Senan's in Sean Finn Park, Rathkeale on Sunday afternoon.

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Declan Ryan's side ran out eight-point winners on the day and they were full value for their triumph after a professional showing in Sean Finn Park, which resulted in a 2-15 to 2-7 win. 

Senan's got off to a perfect start on what was a fantastic afternoon for Gaelic football, with no rain and little breeze in West Limerick.

Having won the throw-in and following a period of retained possession, St Senan's wing forward Cillian Meade raised the first green flag of the day inside a minute. 

To ABK Desmond's credit they responded expertly. Two quickfire points from Joey Rushe cut the Senan's lead to one before ABK would take complete control of the opening half.

After a hectic start, ABK began to settle and after 11 minutes they raised a green flag of their own through full-forward Paul O' Shaughnessy. 

After a dogged defensive turnover, ABK countered quickly down the field with O'Shaughnessy finding himself on the end of the move and he made no mistake, blasting home from close-range.

Padraic Murphy added a point moments later after yet another ABK turnover, this time through the industrious Luke Gammell, which left the score at 1-4 to 1-0 after 16 minutes. 

Limerick inter-county star Danny Neville opened his account after 17 minutes, scoring his first of four points on the day, his influence on proceedings growing as the half wore on.

Ray O'Flaherty stopped the rot for St Senan's after 18 minutes, kicking his side's first point of the day before further pointed efforts followed from ABK's Neville (x2), Padraic Murphy (who was in fine scoring form throughout the game, kicking 0-4) and James O'Meara to leave the score at 1-7 to 1-1 after 25 minutes. 

Neville and Murphy combined late in the half again to edge the victor's interval advantage eight points, 1-11 to 1-3. 

Just as he had done in the first half, Joey Rushe (who was a constant thorn in the St Senan's side) got his side off the mark with a fine effort. 

Senan's struck for their second goal minutes later when Cillian Meade found himself bearing down on the ABK goal yet again.

A cute hand pass over the top from Senan O'Brien found the onrushing Meade who made no mistake, 1-12 to 2-3.

Midfielder Oisín O'Farrell, who was busy throughout, scoring three points, added to Meade's effort to cut the ABK lead to five, 1-12 to 2-4.

Padraic Murphy split the post with a vital free moments later to put a halt to the St Senan's momentum that had been building. 

Any momentum that St Senan's had built up in the second half was well and truly evaporated on 43 minutes when Joey Rushe buried a close-range effort into the roof of Jack Lane's net. 

From there, ABK were able to keep their St Senan's opponents at bay for the remaining quarter of an hour. 

Points from O'Farrell (x2) and Naughton did manage to keep St Senan's in the game but ABK were responding through the likes of Rushe, who finished with 1-6. 

Referee Donnacha O'Callaghan sounded for full-time and it was Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan who claimed the intermediate crown on a day where their ruthlessness in front of goal proved vital on their quest to return to Limerick football's elite.

Scorers: 

Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan: Joey Rushe 1-6 (2f), Danny Neville 0-4, Padraic Murphy 0-4 (1f), Paul O'Shaughnessy 1-0, James O'Meara 0-1.

St Senan's: Cillian Meade 2-0, Oisín O'Farrell 0-3, Ray O'Flaherty 0-2, James Naughton and Senan O'Brien 0-1 each

Teams: 

Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan: Jamie Dolan, John Fitzsimons, Bill Casey, Niall Barry, Luke Gammell, Patrick Moran, Sam Colgan, Shane Gallagher, Alan McGrath, Padhraic McMahon, Danny Neville, James O'Meara, Joey Rushe, Paul O'Shaughnessy, Padraic Murphy. Subs: Sean Whelan for Padhraic McMahon (43 minutes), Jamie O'Sullivan for James O'Meara (54 minutes), Shane Hallinan for Shane Gallagher (56 minutes), Colm O'Flaherty for Paul O'Shaughnessy (56 minutes), Mark Ranahan for Padraic Murphy (60 minutes).

St Senan's: Jack Lane, Darren Kearns, Stephen Kearney, Dave Finnerty, Senan Walsh, Darragh Woulfe, Will Madigan, Oisín O’Farrell, Ray O’Flaherty, Cillian Meade, Senan O’Brien, Kevin Guina, Michael Mulcahy, Adam Kearns, James Naughton. Subs: Charlie Mc Eldowney for Kevin Guina (39 minutes), Aidan O'Malley (44 minutes), Killian O'Mahony for Cillian Meade (56 minutes), Oisín Finucane for Adam Kearns (56 minutes), Eoin O'Donnell for David Finnerty (56 minutes).

Referee: Donnacha O'Callaghan (Feohanagh/Castlemahon)