Limerick SHC - Adare back in county final

Adare are back in the final of the Limerick senior hurling championship following this 1-19 to 0-12 win over Garryspillane.

Back in 2009 they completed a three-in-a-row of titles but then dropped from contention.

Now they have returned to the final with a new-look team.

And, they booked their final spot with a 10-point win without the services of suspended inter-county star Declan Hannon.

They did all the hard work in the opening half when backed by the wind.

The Ger O’Loughlin managed side were ahead 1-13 to 0-6 at the break.

The vital goal came from Donnacha Sheehan in the seventh minute when the corner forward flicked to the net when he connected with a long ball into the Garryspillane goalmouth.

All of a sudden Adare were 1-8 to 0-2 clear and it wasn’t looking good for the underdogs.

With a 10-point margin to make up Garryspillane needed to start the second half on top, especially with the wind to their backs. Kieran Hickey and Donie Ryan did have early points but the goal they needed never materialised.

SCORERS - Adare: Willie Griffin 0-8 (3frees), John Fitzgibbon 0-5, Donnacha Sheehan 1-0, Jody Hannon 0-2, Aidan O’Rahilly, Andrew O’Connell, PJ Hall, Diarmuid Sexton 0-1 each. Garryspillane: Donie Ryan 0-7 (6frees), James Ryan 0-2, Declan Barry, Gearoid Power, Kieran Hickey 0-1 each.

ADARE - Shane O’Donoghue; Jeff Lohan, Mike Clifford, Stephen Lavin; Ross Kennedy, Wayne McNamara, David Dillon; Jody Hannon, Conor Fitzgerald; John Fitzgibbon, Paul Keane, Aidan O’Rahilly; Donnacha Sheehan, Andrew O’Connell, Willie Griffin. Subs: Colm Cribbin for Clifford (25mins), Diarmuid Sexton for O’Rahilly (42mins), PJ Hall for Sheehan, inj (47mins), Lucas O’Brien for O’Connell (56mins).

GARRYSPILLANE - Darren Hayes; Ben O’Donnell, David Ryan, Eoin Halligan; Raymond Sheehan, Micheal O’Donnell, Tom Harty; James Ryan, Gearoid Power; Stephen Meade, Danny Hayes, Kieran Hickey; Declan Barry, Donie Ryan, Colm Hickey. Subs: Liam Power for Meade (49mins), Eoin Burke for Stephen Meade (56mins), Kevin Meade for Hickey (56mins).

REFEREE - Trevor Mann (Ballybrown).

See weekend print edition of the Limerick Leader for a full report and reaction.