Half time in Croom:
Bruree 0-4 Croagh/Kilfinny 0-11
Bruree yet to score from play. Keeper Dave Lynch got Croagh’s final score of the half from play in the last minute. John Kiely an interested spectator.
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Full time in Croom:
Bruree 0-12
Croagh Kilfinny 0-20
Report to follow later.
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Would he have been looking at Sam Cronnolly, I wonder?
He’d have been disappointed if he was. He came into it a little in the second half, but didn’t stand out in general. Jack Lenihan kept him quiet. Nailed all but one of his frees.
No, the boss was there to see Croagh/Kilfinny. We’re box office.
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St Pats 2 -19 to Kileedy 2-13
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Saints right back in that group now after the opening day loss and look poised to qualify alongside Feenagh/Kilmeedy.
Christians after winning day 1 could now drop into relegation trouble.
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I think St. Patrick’s are qualified after that win. Only C/B can get to six points and they beat them.
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You’re right. Big disappointment for C/B, who would have had decent aspirations at the start of the championship.
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On the head to head Pats should qualify , tjough we wont be going in against Feenagh just happy to qualify . There results have been phenomanal but we will do our best to keep it pucked out to them.
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Is Hego carrying an injury?
Great turn around after that disaster the first day
Shoulder, he pulled up in that golf pro am the other day
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Seemingly…the wedding could have told tho!
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splendid battle between saints and kileedy. Gearoid h was limping from the off so must have come in with a knock… jack aherne missing for kileedy… ref McGlinchey had a good outing… saints management and trainer big pat on the back from last year to turn it back in right direction… winning in both codes becoming a habit…
For a while now there has been common consensus that everyone in the Nick Grene Sportsground Maintenance intermediate hurling championship is playing for a runners up spot. For anyone who was in Croom today, there was little to dispel that notion as bookies favourites Croagh/Kilfinny put Bruree to the sword with the minimum of fuss. An utterly dominant display from start to finish with the result never in doubt.
It had been billed as the game of the weekend with the two powerhouses battling for top spot in Group 1 - and the ensuing semi final berth - but it turned into a damp squib (and not because of the downpour ten minutes before throw in).
The westerners won the throw-in before Josh O’Connor pointed seconds later. It set the tone as five more points quickly followed before Bruree finally got off the mark. Croagh were just superior in every facet. Outstanding workrate and score taking. Former Munster & AI winner Seamus Hickey was prominent early on, grabbing two scores and denied a goal by a tremendous save from young netminder Fionn O’Brien.
Hickey had ample support from James Lanigan and Brian Hannan. Bruree’s star man Sam Cronolly was completely neutralised and restricted to frees only as Jack Lenihan again embellished his status as the best hurler in this grade so far this season. Class player - good in the air, quick, strong, intelligent and a savage striker of the ball. He topped off a masterful showing with a magnificent second half score from down town.
Bruree battled hard in the second half, big Paddy Lynch got on a lot of ball but the gap was never lower than 5 at any stage.
5 time AI winning manager John Kiely was among the crowd and he’d have appreciated the performance of Croagh midfielder Josh O’Connor who continued his scintillating form with another excellent display. A strong runner who loves the physical exchanges, while also a classy stickman, he’s the heartbeat of this team who are fueled by the pain of losing the last two county finals at this grade. Four from play for the ever dangerous Brian Hannon, between those two for MOTM.
Following the completion of Round 4, things are beginning to take shape in both groups. Croagh & G/B have secured semi final spots already on the weekend of October 14th/15th. Bruree and Knockainey will almost certainly finish second in their respective groups and they’ll be joined by any of about six clubs for the remaining two quarter final spots.
Not many clubs in the third tier of their club county championships have their management team mic’d up with earpieces but not many clubs can compete with this Croagh outfit. After losing their manager Evan Loftus following a highly successful stint it looked like things could peter out but credit to Martin Kiely who is getting a serious tune out of a very talented group of players. The team that beats them will win it out. On this showing it’s hard to see the Croagh juggernaut being halted any time soon.
A badly needed breather next week before we go again with the greatest club championship of them all.
Croagh 0-20
Cian O’Carroll 0-05 (all frees)
Brian Hannon 0-04
Seamus Hickey 0-03
James Lanigan 0-03
Josh O’Connor 0-02
Jack Lenihan, David Lynch and Gearoid ‘Skinny’ Lenihan all 0-01.
Bruree 0-12
Sam Cronolly 0-07 (all frees)
Tommy Cronolly 0-02
Paddy Lynch 0-02
Frankie Barrington 0-01.
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Where did Jack Lenihan play? By your reporting seems in the backs marking Cronnolly but Lenihan was always a forward I thought. Hickey in the forwards again? I saw them last year in the flesh against Granagh Ballingarry no less and I thought they’d go all the way but I think they just ran into a class side in Na P 2. Seems to be no one of that calibre in the division this year. Your boys have come on leaps and bounds since that day it seems as I didn’t think they looked great. Although Luke something or other was the best player and he seems to have kicked on again this year.
Jack Lenihan plays wing back. They’ve about 15 Lenihan’s playing for them. Seamie is another one on the other wing.
Conor ‘Rakey’ Lenihan had a monster game in the full back line, as did Barry Lenihan beside him. Skinny Lenihan came on as a sub and fired over a worldie.
They’ve no obvious weaknesses, which is strange for a team in the third tier. Teak, tight defence - physical athletes in midfield - many threats in attack - a top ‘keeper. Not much wrong with that.
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No , a colision early on resulted in a dead leg which hampered him throughout , plus two days on the sauce didnt help eother. Baby Hego nade up for it though.
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Yeah , very pleased with the reaction to that game. Momentum is massive in any sport and thats all we are trying to harness at the minute, in comparison to last year
BRUREE 0-12 CROAGH KILFINNY 0-20
@dodgy_keeper beat me to the report but I’ve spent too long in work typing this shit up to bin it 
Biblical-like downpours, thunder, and lightning was the backdrop for this table topping decider in Group 1 of the Nick Grene Intermediate Hurling Championship. The men from mid-Limerick tore out of the blocks and raced into a 0-6 to 0-00 lead after 15 minutes, all of which came from play. Seamus Hickey and Brian Hannan with the pick of the scores. Croagh could also have had a couple of goals in that period, Fionn O’Brien producing a magnificent save from Hickey, flinging himself low to his right to keep out a rasping shot, as well as the rebound. Then, Croagh’s James Lanigan pointed when he could have easily shot for goal. It all looked rather ominous for Bruree at that point.
It took until the 15th minute for Bruree to open their account through a Sam Cronnolly free, one of three placed balls he pointed in the first half. The Southerners were guilty of nine wides in the opening thirty 36 minutes of play, many of which were wild pot shots from distance. Their inside forwards were not getting much change out of Croagh’s backs, with Mark Storan and the two Lenihans, Denis and Conor, forming a human wall. Bruree did briefly threaten Dave Lynch’s goal, with Frankie Barrington firing just over when well placed after a pass from Paddy Lynch. A worrying development just after the quarter hour saw Bruree corner back Shane Feane collapse onto the ground following an earlier collision. Luckily it seemed to be concussion at worst. Further points from play from Brian Hannan, Josh O’Connor, James Lanigan, as well as monster score from keeper Dave Lynch, saw Croagh/Kilfinny depart the field for half time with a 0-10 to 0-4 lead.
Bruree needed to start the second period smart, and they did just that, hitting the first three scores, including two from play for Paddy Lynch at 14. Another Sam Cronnolly free made it 0-10 to 0-7. Now it was Croagh’s turn to start driving some wides, seven in total after half time, which kept the Maiguesiders in it. Frees from Cian O’Caroll nudged Croagh further ahead, but Tommy Cronolly responded with two points of his own from play for Bruree. With Cronolly and Kevin Hayden having gained a bit more parity at midfield, it looked like we could be in for a closer finish than the first half suggested.
The game entered a scrappy period midway through the second half, as the two sides fouled needlessly, although the atrocious conditions certainly didn’t help. Both teams star men, Cian O’Carroll for Croagh and Sam Cronnolly for Bruree, were quieter than usual, with neither scoring from play, although both did convert 0-5 and 0-7 respectively from placed balls. A late scoring burst from the Westerners saw points by Hannan, Hickey, Lanigan, Jack Lenihan and substitute Gearoid ‘Skinny’ Lenihan ensuring that Croagh/Kilfinny eased their way to an 8 point victory.
Croagh’s win was built on the solid foundations of their backline. Tom McMahon at 6 was excellent throughout, ably supported by wing backs Jack and Barry Lenihan. Their full back line barely gave Bruree a sniff all game, with Conor ‘Rake’ Lenihan impressing the most in a great battle between himself and Paddy Lynch. That Bruree, senior champions as recently as 2006, could only notch 0-5 from play in 67 minutes of action, added time included, is testament to the frugality of the Croagh men’s defence. Brian Hannan, Seamus Hickey, Josh O’Connor and Adam Shanagher were also to the fore for the winners.
Bruree, in truth, never really looked like winning this one, and the scoreline was probably a fair reflection of the story of the game. Fourteen wides didn’t help. They had good performers in Patrick Carey at centre back, Tommy Cronolly, Kevin Hayden and Paddy Lynch. Special word of mention to young Fionn O’Brien between the sticks, who found his men time after time, as well as pulling off a wonder save from Seamus Hickey early on.
Man of The Match: Conor ‘Rake’ Lenihan (Croagh Kilfinny)
His performance on the day belied his inexperience at this level. Bruree hit Paddy Lynch often and early, yet Lenihan was there with interceptions and blocks throughout. Nothing went past him. It was like ping pong at times, no sooner had Bruree’s half back delievered the ball in, than it was cleared out by Croagh’s backs. Rinse and repeat for 60+ minutes.
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