Second half dominance propels Fr Caseys to Limerick SFC final

FR CASEY’S are back in the Irish Wire Products Limerick Senior Football Championship final after a 3-12 to 1-6 win over Monaleen in their semi-final at Sean Finn Park in Rathkeale.

Chasing their first title in two decades, the Abbeyfeale club extended their immaculate record this season of six championship victories out of six and will be hoping to add to it when they take on final debutants Kildimo-Pallaskenry on November 1.

On the form they showed in Rathkeale, they will be firm favourites to bring a ninth Fr Casey Cup back down towards the Kerry border.

Casey’s took full advantage in the second half after a tight opening half hour with the midfield duo of brothers Sam and Culann Quigley breaking Monaleen’s resolve with a dominant performance in the air.

Keith Harnett’s side were completely on top on both their own, and opposition kick-outs in the second half.

The cracking early pace produced a series of end-to-end movement from both sides and an Evan O'Connor point inside a minute that shot Caseys ahead.

That was immediately answered by Luke Murphy before Darragh Murray converted a free which put the Castletroy team ahead.

A gorgeous Sam Quigley's equalising long pot from the right sideline levelled the game once again.

The tempo eased after a frantic opening 10 minutes but Caseys then established a grip on midfield but their moves forward were held out until Ronan Quirke put them back in front.

The lead jumped out to four when Eliah Riordan took matters into his own hands. He slalomled past four challenges before he palmed to the net off a pass and return with Daniel Daly.

Darragh Kennedy pointed from a tight angle for Monaleen after team-mate Mark Torpey's diving effort on a rebounded shot was stopped on the line.

Moving past the quarter mark, the Abbeyfeale side upped the pressure again as strikes from O'Brien and Riordan added substance to their lead.

But, just as they were looking at the prospects of an uphill battle after the break, Monaleen's persistence paid off when Darach Ó Siochrú's delivery was finished to the net by Torpey to cut the gap to two.

They then bounced off the goal's momentum for Tadhg Ó Siochrú to shave the Caseys lead to 1-5 to 1-4 as the teams headed into the dressing-rooms.

The Quigley brothers immediately began to dominate the second half with help from Riordan and they were rewarded with a fisted Adrian Enright score inside 60 seconds of the restart.

Things got even better moments later when O’Brien floated a shot over the despairing dive of Colm Mulhally and into the top corner of the net.

Monaleen needed the next score but it was Caseys that continued to push forward, this time from a two-pointer courtesy of full back Sean Kilbridge.

Minutes later it was all over when Callum Boyle's pop pass over the challenge was collected by Enright and his stunning left footed finish ended the game as a contest.

Monaleen managed to just add one score to the board in the second half, a two-point Darragh Murray free in the dying stages as Caseys marched onto the final.

SCORERS- FR CASEYS: Eliah Riordan 1-2 (1 '45), Adrian Enright, Rory O’Brien 1-1 each, Ronan Quirke 0-4 (2f), Seán Kilbridge and Evan O’Connor 0-2 each, Sam Quigley, MONALEEN: Darragh Murray 0-3 (1f, 1tpf), Mark Torpey 1-0, Luke Murphy, Darragh Kennedy, Tadhg Ó Siochrú 0-1 each.

FR CASEYS: Shane O'Connell; Danny McCarthy, Seán Kilbridge, Matthew O'Connor; Mark McCarthy, Diarmuid Buckley, Daniel Daly; Sam Quigley, Cullan Quigley; Rory O'Brien, Eliah Riordan, Michael Kilbridge; Evan O'Connor, Ronan Quirke, Adrian Enright; Subs: Callum Boyle for Daly (40 mins), Oisín Woulfe for O'Brien (44 mins), Jamie O'Connor for EO'Connor (50 mins), John Riordan for Buckley (54 mins), Leon Curtin for Enright (54 mins).

MONALEEN: Colm Mulhally; Harry McDermott, Andrew Kearney, Darragh Clifford; Tadhg Ó Siochrú, Darragh Kennedy, Peter Hempenstall; Lorcan Lyons, Steven Kiely; Niall Loughran, Luke Murphy, Barry Griffin; Mark Torpey, Darragh Murray, Darach Ó Siochrú; Subs: Conal Ó Duinn for Murphy (37 mins), Pádraig Quinn for Kiely (47 mins), Jack Doyle for Hempenstall (54 mins), Shane Dolan for Lyons (54 minutes), Charlie Casey for Loughran (54 mins).

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (St Senan’s).