The Nire 1-18
Adare 0-12

Paraic McMahon reports from Gaelic Grounds

DOMINANT FROM START to finish, The Nire were deserving winners over an Adare side competing in the Munster club championship for the third year in succession.

The Nire did everything in numbers whether it was forcing turnovers, runners off the ball or providing options from every possession as they set up a semi-final against Clare’s St Joseph’s Miltown-Malbay, just a week after winning their county title.

This movement was typified with the only goal of the game which came in the final attack of the first half. Tom Barron playing at wing back ventured forward and remained in space, he was duly found and his finishing was up to scratch as he fired past Brendan Carmody to give his side a nine point lead at the break. Crucially this was a counter-attack from an opportunity at the other end which saw Charlie McCarthy dispossessed metres from goal.

Prior to that, the West Waterford side had already been on top. They kicked the first three scores of the game and did allow Adare two unanswered points but into the second quarter they upped the ante again with Shane Ryan, Darren Guiry, Diarmuid Murphy and Conor Gleeson all registering on the scoreboard.

Barron’s goal formed a gap that Adare could never bridge, even though they gave an improved display in the second half which saw them reduced to fourteen as vice-captain Aodhan O’Connor was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Having nailed down a position with the Waterford senior hurlers during Derek McGrath’s time in charge, Conor Gleeson is more known as a crafty corner back but his ability on the football field was clear to see as he kicked four points from play over the hour. It was an excellent team display from The Nire. Along with Gleeson, Shane Walsh and Tholom Guiry stood out.

While they will be disappointed with the result, Adare can take solace in the fact they are improving each year. Having gone from winning the 2016 intermediate championship, they have learned from a heavy defeat to Nemo Rangers in last year’s provincial campaign and no doubt this loss will stand to them. However, the fact that no Limerick club has won a game in this competition since Dromcollogher-Broadford’s final success of 2008 is of serious concern for football in the county.

Scorers The Nire: Conor Gleeson, Shane Walsh 0-4 each, Tom Barron 1-0, Darren Guiry 0-3 (0-2f), Tholom Guiry, Shane Ryan (0-1f) 0-2 each, Craig Guiry, Diarmuid Murphy (0-1f), Jamie Barron 0-1 each.

Scorers for Adare: Hugh Bourke 0-6 (0-6f), Robbie Bourke, Shane O’Connor 0-2 each, Stephen Keely 0-1.

The Nire

1: Diarmuid Murphy

2: David Meehan

3: Thomas O’Gorman

4: Michael Moore

6: Tom Barron

5: James McGrath

7: Darren Guiry

15: Tholom Guiry

9: Craig Guiry

13: Jamie Barron

11: Dylan Guiry

23: Shane O’Meara

10: Shane Ryan

12: Conor Gleeson

8: Shane Walsh

Subs

14: Dermot Ryan for S O’Meara (43)

20: Ciaran Walsh for Gleeson (50)

22: Jake Mulcahy for Moore (54)

18: Kenny Brazil for Walsh (56)

21: David Nugent for Dylan Guiry (61)

Adare

1: Brendan Carmody

3: Aodhan O’Connor

4: David Connolly

2: Jack Fitzgerald

7: Paul Maher

6: Eoin Ryan

5: Oran Collins

8: Stephen Keeley

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9: Jack English

18: Charlie McCarthy

11: Hugh Bourke

10: Davy Lyons

13: Mark Connolly

14: Robbie Bourke

12: Mikey Lyons

Subs

19: Shane Doherty for Keely (HT)

15: Shane O’Connor for McCarthy (HT)

17: Eoghan Costelloe for Fitzgerald (47)

22: Ronan Connolly for English (53)

21: James Hickey for Collins (57)

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)

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