Why do people think the reports are false? Itâs been confirmed
Maybe we should throw him a bone?
Youâll get nothing for feeding him
Claughaun v Stakers moved to Crecora as per the official website.
You heard it here first.
Just back from Adare.
County cup semi final RESULT.
Ahane 0-28 Adare 0-18.
A grand evening for a match, not a puff of wind. Ahane led from pillar to post.
There was a clatter of multi All-Ireland winners on show. One of them, Tom Morrissey, scored an early point before being forced off. It made little difference to proceedings, Ronan Fox particularly prominent.
Three points up at half time, they pushed on after the break. Best player on view was Ciaran Barry who was to finish with five from play plus five converted frees. John Fitz and Kildimoâs Willie Griffin scored all bar two points of Adareâs total, as the Landed Gentry succumbed to a heavy defeat on home soil.
Ref Mikey Browne oversaw proceedings and clamped down on Adare dissent throughout the second half. The other semi final between Monaleen and Liberties takes place over the weekend.
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ScĂłr quiz tonight.
Will Monaleen win again for 95 in a row or whatever the fuck it is?
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95 is the average age of their team
ScĂłr is the Opus Dei wing of the GAA, no surprise itâs on during an Ireland soccer match
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Thatâs quality. And true.
Actually LOLd at that.
The fuckers retired after last yearâs All Ireland win 
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Are the questions hard?
There were some scandalously easy questions tonight. A few difficult-ish ones aswell.
Quizmaster had a mare though.
Didnât a couple of lads have to play today after a funeral,I hear some people werenât too happy.
Hon Na Piarsaigh.
We went out there and walked over those Castletroy cunts
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Semi-final stages for Senior, Premier Intermediate, Intermediate & Junior. Also a massive West derby relegation final. Plenty to look forward to this weekend. As @dodgy_keeper has alluded to, the trouble will be trying to actually get to matches with a lot of them crossing over.
Senior Semi-Finals
Saturday October 14
Doon (9/2) vs Na Piarsaigh (1/6) @ 3pm in the Gaelic Grounds
Sunday October 15
Kilmallock (4/6) vs Patrickswell (6/4) @ 3pm in the Gaelic Grounds
TG4 have chosen Doon vs Na Piarsaigh as itâs game to televise, which does seem like an odd choice for the weekend. If you could pick either of the two Limerick semi-finals, which was flagged a long way out, the other does look like the one more likely to be a competitive game. Doon are missing a lot of players and couldnât live with Na Piarsaigh in the group stages, NaP running out 19-point victors. There were a couple of other factors on the day, what Doonâs interest levels were like, Iâm not sure but, even still, Na Piarsaigh have tended to come out comfortably on top against Doon when they had close to a full complement, let alone when they are down so many. Tommy Hayes returned the last day and that will be a boost as you just look at it and who do they have to mark Peter Casey, DaithĂ Dempsey, Conor Boylan, Adrian Breen? Peter Casey is unmarkable at the best of times so do you put someone like Hayes on him and have him do his utmost but Casey still comes away with 0-5? Or do you just let Casey off and try and get Hayes to contain Breen? The only real way to stop Casey is to prevent good ball going in and Doon do still have some good attacking players which is why they have made it this far. Adam English is in fine form, Kevin Maher had a great outing the last day against Mungret and Barry Murphy is a classy hurler who just glides over the ground. But Na Piarsaigh may have Will OâDonoghue back, which may be the last piece in the jigsaw for them. Still some question marks over the positioning of Kevin Downes and Ronan Lynch but Downes is growing into the Championship while younger players like Vince Harrington, Wayne Kearns and JJ Carey have added a bit of vibrancy in the absence of WOD. I would love for this to be close and I think it should be closer than the group game but itâs still very hard to see Na Piarsaigh not winning. NaP by 8.
The second semi-final was a hugely entertaining in the group stages, the quality was very high, there were some great scores, with Graeme Mulcahyâs late goal winning it for Kilmallock in the end. Patrickswell looked good in that game and in the opening round where they upset Na Piarsaigh. Other than that, they havenât looked overly impressive but have generally done the job they needed to do. Kilmallock were the early pacesetters: hammering Doon, easing to victory over Ahane after a poor first half, dispatching ourselves in a similar game and then beating the Well in a classic. They were well-beaten by Na Piarsaigh in the final group game but were down Shane OâBrien at the time. OâBrien has been in fantastic form this season, 1-17 from play in 4 games. They just seem to have options all over the pitch: OâBrien as a focal point inside, the aerial dominance of Robbie Egan, the electric pace of Oisin OâReilly, the wrists of Chanley. They also seem to have strengthened their defence from last year, if all fit, with Kevin OâDonnell slotting in nicely at wing-back and both Paddy OâLoughlin and Aaron Costello in good form. Killian Hayes and Phelim OâReilly were flying in midfield; OâReilly is now out but Robbie Hanley has returned to give them a superb option. How do they cope with the threat of Aaron Gillane though? The job is likely to be handed to Dan Joy but can Joy hold Gillane if the right ball goes in? Or, again, is it a case of just doing everything to stop that. Hanley will have his hands full trying to curb the influence of Lynch in midfield but the supporting cast for the Well have been decent too: Kevin OâBrien and Jordan Higgins are both very strong runners who can take scores, Evan Fitz has returned from injury and was very influential at wing-back the last day, while Patrick Kirby returned from injury the last day, a player who started this season very well. Itâs going to be a very interesting contest, I do think Kilmallock may have some difficulties in holding a player as outrageously good as Gillane but I like the way they have set themselves up this year and I think if they have everyone fit, they might just have enough to edge this one. Kilmallock by 3.
Premier Intermediate Semi-Finals
Saturday October 14
Blackrock (7/4) vs Effin (1/2) @ 2pm in Bruff
Bruff (6/5) vs Dromin/Athlacca (8/11) @ 4pm in Kilmallock
Effin were certainly the form team of the Premier Intermediate group stages, winning 6 from 7, their only slip-up being a Round 2 slip-up to fellow South side, Dromin/Athlacca. Itâs 4 South sides in the semi-finals, so it will end up being a straight swap for the other South side on their way down for next year, Garryspillane. Blackrock fucked up in the last round of the group stages, losing to a Glenroe side with nothing to play for, but still qualified in 4th place with a bit of fortune (had NCW beaten Bruff, they would have been out). Earlier in the year, Effin beat Blackrock by 5 but had them at armâs length throughout. The word is that Jack Quaid is back from Australia and available for selection for this one, which will be a big boost. He was their captain last year and a very decent option in the forwards. I just really like the balance of their team, they donât have superstars from 1-15, theyâre a small club making the most of the resources they do have. Big Pierse OâKelly at full-forward is probably one of the more overlooked players on their team but it was he who put Blackrock to the sword in the group stages, as he buried two goals. Their lively wing-forwards, RuairĂ OâConnor and Ewan Dillon, are full of pace and carry the ball from back to front and well able to take a score too. Nickie dictates things at 6, Mike Rea is another tough defender but they donât concede massive scores generally. And then you have the elusive Paddy OâDonovan inside, one of the best young forwards in the country. How do you go about marking a man with his sidestep and striking ability? Blackrock will surely have learned their lessons from the first day and, fair play to them, they started this campaign really well and got to the semi-finals despite a lot of adversity. Down important players from last year like Dylan Dawson, Kevin Palmer and Daithi Heffernan, they then lost their county star, Jimmy Quilty, to injury in the weeks before Championship began. Sean OâNeill has stood up and taken a lot of the scoring responsibility alongside Paudie Leahy. They have a lot of players who can direct ball and the old warrior, Richie Mac, will be hoping to nullify OâKelly this week. Ian OâBrien has been given the man-marking duties this year and did okay on OâDonovan the last day but he couldnât stop him getting involved completely and thatâs the thing with Effin, they donât actually need OâDonovan to do all their scoring. I donât think this score will be reversed either, I fancy Effin to win by about the same margin. Effin by 5.
Bruff are another side who lost their talisman, in the shape of Sean Finn, but started this group like a train yet were still in danger of missing out on the semi-finals in what was potentially a straight knockout game on the final day of the groups. They came through that challenge, however, to make up for the two defeats before it. One of those defeats came against this Dromin/Athlacca side; was a fairly comfortably victory for D/A. I am presuming that that game is the reason that D/A have been made favourites for this one, I would still have thought Bruff would be slight favourites but would expect it to be very very tight. A lot of very young players on this Bruff team, I really like that youthful midfield of Darragh Butler and Sean Murnane; Murnane particularly seems to be quite underrated but he gets through an amount of work in midfield. Paul Browne offers the experience and is sitting in at centre-back, yet it was he who was caught badly for a couple of goals against Effin. If he can sit in and allow Patrick Finn and Kevin Bonar drive on from wing-back, itâs a couple of great options. Young Owen Meany was apparently sensational for John the Baptist in the Harty Cup during the week, itâll be interesting to see if he gets a start while big Diarmuid Dennehy is some athlete even if his hurling isnât as sharp as some others. Still a lot of reliance on Danny OâLeary and Colin Madden to stand up to deliver scores. For years, D/A were an aging side and a few of their veterans are still around but they have given their side an injection of youth in recent years and have had serious representation on Limerick underage sides. William Dore, Shane & Jack Fitzgibbon, Shane & Daniel Scully, Sean OâLeary; these are all talented young hurlers who generally alleviate the pace problem that D/A once had. And then they still have the likes of David & Mike Reidy, Peter Ryan and David Breen; fellas who have been key players for a number of years. Again, they have a much better balance than they used to have, even with Cian Scully injured but I would have said Bruff do have more strength-in-depth. Likely to be very very tight, Iâm going to go with D/A to edge it. I think they might just have a little bit more up top with no Kyle Dillon for Bruff this year and Sean Finnâs absence meaning they are moving resources backwards. D/A by 1.
Intermediate Semi-Finals
Saturday October 14
Croagh/Kilfinny vs Hospital/Herbertstown @ 1pm in Ballyagran
Granagh/Ballingarry vs Murroe/Boher @ 4pm in Fedamore
A little bit of controversy with these fixtures as some parties felt that there should not be semi-finals which repeated group pairings when they could be avoided. I can see where they are coming from but it had been my understanding that the pairings were pre-drawn. Now, I donât know if itâs ever happened before at this grade where the two third-place teams won their quarter-finals against the two second-placed teams. But itâs happened here and it means that Croagh/Kilfinny go up against a Hospital/Herbertstown side they beat by 17 points a month and a half ago. I donât think anybody would have picked this as a potential semi-final pairing at that stage. H/H had lost their first three games, had a scoring difference of -32 and looked strong best for relegation. But they pulled out back-to-back wins to both stay up and to qualify from the group and Michael Whelanâs late score saw them spring the mother of all upsets against Knockainey. Itâs never easy going back playing a side you beat easily; thereâs the natural complacency factor that is very hard to guard against. Thatâs the challenge that C/K now face but surely a 17-point differential is too much for H/H to overturn? H/H were a rabble when I saw them earlier this year but I do think they have some very talented players in the likes of the OâGradys, Mark Deegan, Harry Fox, etc, etc. It was Mickey Bob Ryan who did a lot of the damage against Knockainey and they will definitely need a similar-type performance from him if they are to cause the biggest upset of the year. For me, I couldnât in all honesty predict that. C/K are going for a third final in a row and I do think they will get there. From back-to-front, they are too strong in my opinion. Dave Lynch is back in goals, they have a hape of Lenihans, all of whom can hurl, Tom McMahon holds it all together nicely, they probably have the best engine room in the grade in Josh OâConnor and Adam Shanagher, itâs crazy the amount of work they get through. And then, most importantly, they can score. Cian OâCarroll is obviously a big addition over the past couple of years when they have lost one or two forwards, Hickey brings the experience (and an ability to get a few points) and the likes of Brian Hannon and Bryan Flynn always pop up with a couple of scores too. They are a very strong team for this grade. I canât see them not winning comfortably, complacency or not. C/K by 12.
It may have been a dead rubber played on astro but Granagh/Ballingarry also had a very comfortable victory in the end over Murroe/Boher in their group game. It had been an even, if loose first half but G/B pulled away in the second half, kicking on nicely once they got ahead. Now M/B were down a few players in that half but itâs still a big ask to turn around an 11-point deficit against a side whose lowest margin of victory in the group stages was 9 points. They have scored 10-119 in those five games, an average of 2-24 which is phenomenal for 60-minute matches. But they havenât really been tested yet, for whatever reason, will M/B bring something more this weekend? They were massively impressive in the first half against Bruree last weekend, particularly the performance of the irrepressible SeĂĄnie Tobin, who scored 3-8 from play overall. He had 3-4 in the first 15 minutes of that game and was helped by the likes of both Mikey Ryans, Mark Nicholas and a very strong backline. But then that second half performance would be a concern, they allowed Bruree back into it and if they die a death against G/B again, they will be punished. G/B have tended to finish very strongly, blowing teams away as they unload the bench. Now there are whispers that Paudie Murphy and Dodge may be unavailable for G/B which would weaken that bench. But Davy Condron was an impact sub the last day but obviously more than good enough to start and is a powerful ballwinner too. Luke Flynn has been their scoring star, racking up massive scores from full-forward and they do get a lot of ball in his direction and then play off him. All 6 of their forwards plus their midfielders can score, Darragh Casey has been a threat with both his engine and his ability to contest in the air while nice, slick hurlers like Cathal OâKeeffe and Sean OâConnor are well-capable of big point hauls too. I would say that both teams have strong forward lines but have looked a little vulnerable in their full-back line. G/B have been so dominant in most games that that hasnât really been apparent and they do have a hunger for goals which makes a massive difference at this level. M/B on the other hand have been very goal-shy until the last day and thatâs the difference that Tobin & Maddaboy together bring. Hard to go against G/B but it should definitely be closer than the last day, M/B will need another strong start. G/B by 4.
Intermediate Relegation Final
Saturday October 14
Feohanagh vs Knockaderry @ 2pm in Newcastlewest
After they beat Murroe/Boher in the opening round, I donât think Feohanagh thought theyâd be here, things looked fairly bright. And, similarly, Knockaderry had come from behind to absolutely thump Kilmallock by 15 points. But neither side won another game and now must do battle to stay in the division. An all-West battle, there is a huge amount on the line in this one. Feohanagh probably had the slightly more impressive campaign, even though they went down without a whimper against a winless Croom side in a game in which they were favourites. And would have been favourites against Kieranâs too, but were edged out by a point in a low-scoring dogfight. They also lost by a single point to a Knockainey side who qualified from the group fairly easily. Knockaderry didnât really get close to anyone after their great opening round win; a 9-point defeat to Pallasgreen and a 5-point defeat to Hospital/Herbertstown in their last two crucial games wonât give them a lot of encouragement. Seamie Flanagan is obviously key for Feohanagh and will be the star player on display but his brother is injured, I believe, and must be a huge loss for them. There is also the question as to whether Mike Fitzgibbon will be playing, another key forward in a match which wonât be overloaded with scoring forwards⌠Jamie Butler has also been consigned to Junior B only this year (and they made the West final and are into the county stage). I wonder have overtures been made towards Jamie to see if heâll play this one? No good doing well in Junior B if your first team get relegated down to Junior A anyway. Knockaderry have a mixture of old heads like Pat Downes and Tom Condon in the spine of their defence and some younger forwards like Jack Molloy and Mike Molloy, who have been very lively this year. Mark Danaher has been reliable as ever on the frees but it wonât be a game punctuated by loads of scoring forwards. Condon is still a huge player for Knockaderry, as much as Flanagan is for Feohanagh but Iâm going to give the slight edge to Feohanagh as I think they may have a slight bit more scoring potential in Flanagan, Fitzgibbon, Jack Kenny, Alan Roche even though they do look a little vulnerable defensively. Feohanagh by 5.
Junior A Semi-Finals
Sunday October 15
Feenagh/Kilmeedy (4/9) vs Kilteely/Dromkeen (2/1) @ 1pm in Kilmallock
Monagea (11/8) vs Mungret/St. Paulâs (4/6) @ 1pm in Adare
F/K have been the standout team at this grade, Iâve praised them a few times. Their movement and ability to create space for their forwards is excellent when they are in full flow. If a squeeze is put on their puckout, there are still question marks though. They are fine hurlers but I am surprised that you can get 2/1 on K/D. If Brian OâGrady is at 6, itâll be an interesting battle between himself and Moss Fitzgibbon. Sean OâDea is probably likely to pick up Ruairi OâConnor inside? F/K do have lots of options and it is hard to choose which ones to limit and maybe K/D will go after their structure instead. I do think K/D are well set up and have a bit about them, helped by the likes of Dinny OâDea, Darragh Carroll and Paudie Ahern who can score. F/K definitely have better depth; K/D donât really want to have to dip in their reserves but theyâll put out a strong 15. Both sides saw off their opponents relatively comfortably in the quarter-finals and this one is likely to be tight too. I just have a feeling that K/D might dog it out. K/D by 2.
Monagea have done very well to get this far, another side making the most of their resources. Young James Normoyle has been a very worthy addition to their attack, along with the athleticism of Jamie Baynham to add to the older, wiser heads of Tom OâCallaghan and the evergreen Seanie Herlihy. Herlihy has been in unbelievable form this year, almost back to his best. But Mungret have come under the radar a little bit because they came through what was perceived to be one of the weaker groups. But an impressive win over St. Patâs in the quarter-final has people seriously paying attention and they certainly will hold no fear of Monagea. Mungret obviously had a great season at Senior level too and this is largely a very young side (they also had a great U-21 victory over Ballybrown during the week, which was a bit of a shock). The two Flahives are now in the half-back line together, Conor has loads of experience further up the levels, as does someone like big Mike Mullins in the full-forward line. Chams is one of the best athletes in the county. I know they did lose a few players as the year went on but they donât seem to have got much weaker and maybe even have found themselves in the process. I think Iâm going to go with Mungret to edge this one. Mungret by 4.
Junior A Relegation Semi-Final
Saturday October 14
Claughaun vs Staker Wallace
Nobody really wants to see a first team be relegated to Junior B so, no offence to Blackrock, but I hope whoever loses this manages to beat them. An absolute shambles of a year for Claughaun so far but they did run Tour quite close in the last game and maybe they have players back that they didnât have earlier in the year. I know they had still been relying on Macca to pull out scores but he must be getting on at this stage. They have a lot of decent athletes but have generally struggled to put decent scores on the board. The Stakers arenât actually bad, they are just a small club trying to do their best. Wouldnât agree with them giving a walkover against the Well, youâd think that would have been perfect preparation for this game. But they do have fellas who can hurl, theyâve actually had some decent representation in Limerick underage squads in the past few years and the likes of Adam Lyons and Patrick Mooney anyway have experience at a higher level. Dermot McCarthy would be a dangerous forward at very level and the other Lyons and Sheedys are fine players too. On paper, this looks like one the Stakers should win, Iâm not really sure what the story is with Claughaun bringing players back in, it just hasnât been a good year at all for them. Iâm going to tip the Stakers and hope that Claughaun have enough to stay up in the relegation final. Stakers by 4.
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