Adare edge past Kildimo-Pallaskenry to record precious first win in Limerick senior hurling championship

ADARE have registered their first win of this year’s Whitebox Limerick senior hurling championship after ssecuring a tense 0-18 to 0-16 victory over Kildimo-Pallaskenry in Sean Finn Park, Rathkeale on Friday evening.

Kildimo-Pallaskenry lined out minus their Limerick senior star Kyle Hayes who was ruled out with an injury.

Friday night's win brings Adare onto three points in the Group 2 table after three rounds of games, while Kildimo-Pallaskenry also have three points in the table.

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Jack O’Keeffe got the scoring under way for Kildimo/Pallaskenry with a point after just two minutes. Shaun Barry and Davy Fitzgerald then followed up to increase their side's lead to three after five minutes.

Adare had to wait nine minutes for their opener which came from the stick of John Fitzgibbon. Ciaran McMahon and Fitzgerald replied for Kildimo-Pallaskenry as the team in blue held the early momentum. Two points from Adare's Willie Griffin stemmed the tide, however.

Barry and McMahon then combined to push Kildimo-Pallaskery's lead out to three points after 24 minutes. However, this would be their side's last impression on the scoreboard before the half as Mickey Mackey hit a brace of points to draw the sides level before John McSweeney floated in a lovely effort from near the side line.

Griffin then nailed another placed ball before David O’Mahoney put three points between the sides at the break as Adare led 0-10 to 0-7.

Barry and Griffin traded frees to open the second period before O’Mahoney seized on a loosely placed puck out.

Griffin struck from a placed ball again before Patrick Kearney chipped over to build Adare’s lead to six. Robbie O’Farrell then responded with a badly needed score for Kildmio-Pallaskenry, before Jack O’Keeffe also took the initiative in front of goal to add to their tally.

A Barry pointed free and a surging point by Cathal Downes cut the lead back to just three points after 48 minutes.

A flurry of scores by Fitzgerald, O’Farrell and Barr tied up the scores.

However, Griffin then nailed a badly needed free for Adare before John Fitzgibbon hit a long range free to seal the win by a two-point margin, 0-18 to 0-16.

SCORERS: Adare: Willie Griffin 0-9 (0-7 frees), Mickey Mackey, David O’Mahoney, John Fitzgibbon (0-2 frees) 0-2 each, Patrick Kearney, John McSweeney, Mark Connolly 0-1 each. Kildimo-Pallaskenry: Shaun Barry 0-6 (0-6 frees), David Fitzgerald 0-3, Jack O’Keeffe, Ciaran McMahon and Robbie O’Farrell 0-2 each. Cathal Downes 0-1.

ADARE: Shane O’Donoghue, David Connolly, Joe Sweeney, Conor Ryan, John McSweeney, Ronan Connolly, John Fitzgibbon, Jody Hannon, David O’Mahoney, Declan Hannon, Willie Griffin, Darragh Gleeson, Patrick Kearney, Mikey Mackey, Mark Connolly. SUBS: Sean Connolly for Mikey Mackey, Sam Hickey for Mark Connolly (both 50 mins), Wayne McNamare for John McSweeney (60 mins).

KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: James Mason, Jack Mullane, Ciaran Barry, Jose Azzopardi, Kevin O’Connell, Davy Fitzgerald, Cathal Downes, Eddie McLaughlin, Peter Nash, Robbie O’Farrell, Sean Kavanagh, Ciaran McMahon, Seanie Hartigan, Shaun Barry, Jack O’Keeffe. SUBS: Luke O’Keeffe for Ciaran Barry (23 mins injured), Paudi Hartigan for Sean Kavanagh (58 mins).

Referee: Paddy Lyons (Staker Wallace)