Newcastle West retain Limerick SFC title in extra-time thriller against Adare

IT TOOK extra time but defending champions Newcastle West are Irish Wire Products Limerick SFC winners for the second year in-a-row.

Jimmy Lee's men captured their fourth title in eight years after a dramatic game in Fitzgerald Park in Kilmallock on Sunday afternoon. It finished Newcastle West 1-11, Adare 2-5.

The Magpies’ win now puts the West Limerick men level with Oola and Monaleen on six senior titles.

In what was a meeting of the two standard bearers on Shannonside over the past decade, the repeat of last year’s final saw Newcastle West overcome Adare by three points in the end.

It was Newcastle West side that started the brightest and were two points to the good inside the opening eight minutes thanks to scores from Emmet Rigter and Diarmaid Kelly, as Adare were left to rue three early wides as they faced a strong crossfield breeze.

Adare had reduced the losing margin to one midway through the half after Mark Connolly kicked over a close-range free on the 15th minute mark.

From here, Newcastle West added another free – Kelly’s second of the afternoon – before towering full forward Mike McMahon fisted into the net for the game’s opening goal after 20 minutes. McMahon rose highest above Adare full back Darren O’Doherty before punching a long Bryan Nix ball past Jeffery Alfred in the Adare goal. 

The goal, which opened up a five-point lead, looked like it had set Newcastle West on their way to victory, but Adare had other ideas and a first half injury time goal from a Robbie Bourke penalty brought it back to a one-point game at the half time break – 1-3 to 1-2.

In the second half, Adare outscored Newcastle West by 1-2 to four points to force extra time in what was a dramatic final quarter.

In a tight affair, it was Adare who levelled midway through the second half as Willie Griffin superbly turned inside his marker Michael O’Keeffe to score the first point of the second half.

Newcastle West had more of the possession in the third quarter but failed to add to their first half return of 1-3 until the 48th minute to go ahead once again. 

Adare’s second goal of the game with six minutes of normal time remaining made it a two-point game – 2-3 to 1-4 - a counter-attack Shane O’Connor goal after a superb Willie Griffin pass.

A Diarmaid Kelly free and a Thomas Qulligan free drew the sides level for the second time before a late Mark Connolly close-range free put Adare ahead.

A late Darren O’Doherty point brought the sides level yet again and brought the game to extra time.  

Adare started extra time with 13 players after both Mikey Lyons and substitute Cian Sparling were shown black cards.

Newcastle West had been reduced to 14 in the normal game after James Kelly saw red after two yellow cards.

In extra time, Newcastle West’s inter-county stars rose to the occasion when needed the most; Limerick stalwart Iain Corbett pointed early before All Star nomination Cian Sheehan set up Shane Stack who kicked over to give Jimmy Lee’s side a two-point advantage.

Mike McMahon scored his side’s third point in-a-row to add to Adare’s woes with a superb outside of the boot point, before a Robbie Bourke free made it 1-10 to 2-5 in favour of Newcastle West at half time of extra time.

As daylight quickly descended, McMahon pointed late to put three between the sides and secure the historic win for Newcastle West.

Newcastle West will face the winner of Nemo Rangers and Clonmel Commercials in three weeks time in the Munster SFC club semi final.

SCORERS: NEWCASTLE WEST: Mike McMahon 1-3 (0-1mark); Diarmaid Kelly 0-3 (2frees), Michael O’Keeffe, Iain Corbett, Emmet Rigter, Shane Stack, Thomas Quilligan (free) 0-1 each. ADARE: Robbie Bourke 1-1 (1-0penalty, 0-1free), Mark Connolly 0-3 (2frees), Shane O’Connor 1-0, Willie Griffin 0-1.

NEWCASTLE WEST: Michael Quilligan; Michael O’Keeffe, Darren O’Doherty, Brian O’Sullivan; Ruadhán O’Connor, James Kelly, Cian Sheehan; Emmet Rigter, Iain Corbett; Sean Murphy, Sean Stack, Diarmaid Kelly; Eoin Hurley, Mike McMahon, Bryan Nix. Subs: Thomas Quilligan for Eoin Hurley (47mins), Todd Donovan for Sean Murphy (54mins), Seamus Hurley for James Kelly (full time), Eoin Hurley for Ruadhan O’Connor (full time), Aaron Neville for Darren O’Doherty (83mins), Sean Murphy for Diarmaid Kelly (89mins).

ADARE: Jeffery Alfred; Oran Collins, David Connolly, Jack Fitzgerald; Josh Toomey, Shane Doherty, Paul Maher; Roy Glesson, Joe Sweeney; Shane Costello, Robbie Bourke, Davy Lyons; Willie Griffin, Mark Connolly, Mikey Lyons. Subs: Shane O’Connor for Davey Lyons inj (13mins), Jack English for Roy Gleeson (54mins), Cian Sparling for Oran Collins (62mins), Adam Canny for Mikey Lyons (83mins), Charlie McCarthy for Willie Griffin (89mins).

REFEREE: Timmy McGrath Murphy (Oola).