Ballybrown edge out Adare in physical Limerick senior hurling championship quarter-final

BALLYBROWN have beaten Adare in the Whitebox Limerick senior hurling championship quarter-final on a scoreline of 0-20 to 2-10 in Askeaton on Sunday afternoon. 

READ MORE: Semi-final bound Effin edge past Granagh-Ballingarry in Limerick premier intermediate hurling championship

Ballybrown's reward for their win is a semi-final meeting with reigning champions Doon, with that game due to be played on the weekend of October 4-5. 

Kevin Lally's Ballybrown side was aided by a strong breeze in the first half and they made that advantage count as they raced into 0-4 0-1 lead after five minutes.

Points from Ross Griffin, Ross Kenny, James Coughlan and Colin Coughlan gave Ballybrown some early breathing room.

Adare's Willie Griffin, who was superb from placed balls all afternoon, kept his side in the game. Griffin would be Adare's only scorer in the opening half.

Griffin and Kenny continued to tag on the scores for Ballybrown but as the half wore on, both sides became frustrated with their efficiency in front of goal.

Both Ballybrown and Adare were guilty of some poor wides and shot selection at times. 

Aidan O'Connor, who was as equally as effective from placed balls as his Adare counterpart, split the post three times as the half drew to a close to put his side 0-10 to 0-4 ahead.

Adare would be afforded a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when the lively Willie Griffin blasted home to cut Ballybrown's lead to two, 0-9 to 1-4.

Aidan O'Connor and Griffin continued their fine free-taking as the two traded points in the opening minutes of the second-half.

Quickfire efforts from Griffin and wing-back John Fitzgibbon cut Ballybrown's lead to just one point on 38 minutes before frees from Aidan O'Connor (2) and Colin Coughlan (1) gave Lally's side the lead once again.

The game burst into life on 46 minutes when Adare wing-back John Fitzgibbon latched onto a loose ball and blasted home from the '21 to put the cat amongst the pigeons and give his side the lead, the west Limerick side now 2-8 to 0-13 ahead.

To Ballybrown's credit, they responded expertly to the concession of that second goal, rallying off the next three points of the match via Bryan Griffin, Colin Coughlan and Ross Griffin. 

Ballybrown now led 0-16 to 2-8 as the match entered the final ten minutes.

It was to be a nervy ending for Ballybrown who had to be defensively resolute as Mark Foley's charges threw the kitchen sink at their opponents. 

Both sides would trade a couple of points each as the game game to a close but it was Ballybrown who held firm to eke out a four-point win. 

Ballybrown will face reigning champions Doon in the Limerick SHC semi final in two weeks time.  

SCORERS: ADARE: Willie Griffin 1-8 (6 f), John Fitzgibbon 1-02  BALLYBROWN: Aidan O'Connor 0-8 (7f), Colin Coughlan 0-4 (3f), Ross Griffin 0-3, Ross Kenny 0-2, Bryan Griffin and Luke O'Connor 0-1 each.

ADARE: Shane O’Donoghue, David Connolly, Joe Sweeney, Mike Keane, John MacSweeney, Ronan Connolly, Wayne McNamara, Jody Hannon, Conor Ryan, John Fitzgibbon, David O'Mahony, Sam Hickey, Patrick Kearney, Brendan O'Connor, Willie Griffin. SUBS: Darragh Gleeson for Jody Hannon (48 min) and Sean Connolly for Patrick Kearney (55 min).

BALLYBROWN: Cian Hedderman; Ned Quinn, David Hartnett, Keith Punch; Mikey Gavin, Colin Coughlan, James Coughlan; Killian Gavin, Leigh Doolan; Ross Kenny, Aidan O’Connor, Ross Griffin; Barry Adams, Bryan Griffin, Mikey Kiely. SUBS: Luke O'Connor for Barry Adams (44 min) and Bobby Smyth for Mikey Kiely (56 min).

REFEREE: Kieran Griffin (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)