AIB Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship Semi-Final – Adare (Limerick) 0-13 Kiskeam (Cork) 0-10

Adare (Limerick) defeated Kiskeam (Cork) by 0-13 to 0-10 in the AIB Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship Semi-Final on Sunday November 13th at Mallow.

Adare serve notice with skilful show in Mallow

Report by Diarmuid Sheehan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Adare (Limerick) 0-13 Kiskeam (Cork) 0-10: Adare booked their place in the Munster Club IFC final in impressive fashion with an impressive dismissal of Cork champions Kiskeam at the Mallow GAA Complex yesterday.

The Limerick side made little of their underdog status and had too much guile for a Kiskeam side that struggled for long periods and ultimately ran out of both steam and luck.

Led in the scoring stakes by Shane Costello and Hugh Bourke, Adare dominated the opening 10 minutes, conceded the next 10, before regaining their composure and taking control of the tie for the remainder of the game.

“I just can’t say what it means to us here” manager Harry Gleeson admitted afterwards. “We came here with what we thought was a great bunch of lads, a great group, all friends and we did what many people thought we couldn’t. I am so proud of everyone involved.”

His Kiskeam counterpart Denis Reen was rocked by the reversal yet paid huge tribute to the Limerick champions. “They deserved it. They are a great side” said Reen. “They could have won this by a lot more. We looked tired.

“We were training well but on the day the better side won and I wish them all the best in the future. This side will take some beating”.

Kiskeam had some early chances with the best of those falling to David Scannell. After a slow start from the Cork side they got to the pace of proceedings after falling 0-4 to 0-1 behind with Tom O’Sullivan impressing for the winners.

Kiskeam drew level after 11 minutes with two more fine scores before wing forward Robert Carroll gave the north Cork side the lead with a fisted effort.

Adare could have capitulated at that point but credit to the men in red and black they battled back in what was quickly becoming a highly entertaining encounter. Adare’s Costello was causing no end of problems in the opening period with one of his mazy runs on 20 minutes leading to a golden opportunity for Davy Lyons however a brilliant save from sweeper Daniel Fitzgerald meant the game was all square at the break.

Adare looked comfortable after the restart as Kiskeam began to wilt with Costello, midfielder Jack English and centre-forward Bourke all showing that this is a side that must be taken seriously.

For Kiskeam this will be a tough loss, however, with senior football in their immediate future there will be many more big days ahead.

Scorers for Adare: S Costello 0-5 (one free); H Bourke 0-4 (three frees); M Connolly 0-2, D Lyons, J English 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kiskeam: T O’Sullivan 0-4 (one free); G Casey 0-2 (one free), R Carroll, M Herlihy (one free), D Scannell, B Dennehy 0-1 each.

ADARE: B Carmody; C Ryan, E Costello, A O’Connell; S Doherty, D Connolly, D Sexton; J Lohan, J English; D Lyons, H Bourke, E Ryan; M Connolly, S Costello, N Mulvihill
Subs: P Maher for C Ryan (15), C McCarthy for E Costello (21), R Bourke for N Mulvihill (44), M Lyons for D Lyons (48), J Fitzgibbon for E Ryan (52).

KISKEAM: A Casey; K O’Connor, AJ O’Connor, D J Casey; S Linehan, J Dennehy, M Casey; T Dennehy, M Casey; T Dennehy, A Carroll; G Casey, M Herlihy, R Carroll; D Scannell, D Fitzgerald, T O’Sullivan
Subs: S O’Sullivan for R Carroll (39), B Dennehy for A Carroll (50), L Cardy for K O’Connor (54). J McAulliffe for D Fitzgerald (61)(bc).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).