Monaleen 2-14 Dromcollogher Broadford 1-11
Two first-half goals propelled Monaleen to a first Limerick SFC title since 2011 this evening,
.Having lost to Dromcollogher Broadford in the 2013 decider, there was some measure of revenge enacted as the club secured a sixth county title in relatively comfortable fashion.
Shane Cusack and Colm Moran delivered the critical goals and Muiris Gavin’s side were full value for their 2-7 to 1-5 interval lead.
Cusack, having played a neat one-two with Brian O’Donovan, drilled home the first of the Monaleen goals 10 minutes in to cancel out Kevin Noonan’s fourth-minute fisted effort at the other end.
Cusack’s major put Monaleen 1-4 to 1-0 clear and although Paul Madigan (free), Patrick Donnelly (free) and Kevin Noonan kicked points to narrow the gap to the minimum, Colm Moran took advantage of poor defending in the Dromcollogher Broadford defence to scramble in a second goal on 21 minutes.
There followed the score of the half as Monaleen midfielder Barry Fitzpatrick landed a huge effort of his left boot from out the field.
Fitzpatrick finished with three to his name and, along with Ger Collins, was the stand-out contributor for the winners.
Having swapped two points apiece in a low key third quarter, a pair of white flags from Dromcollogher Broadford’s Kevin Noonan and an excellent over-the-shoulder effort from Killian Phair brought the margin back to three, 2-10 to 1-10.
That was as close as they’d get, though, with Ger Collins, Fitzpatrick and Brian O’Donovan throwing over a string of late scores to see Monaleen run out six-point winners.
Scorers for Monaleen: G Collins (0-6, 0-1 free); G O’Connell (0-2 frees), B Fitzpatrick (0-3 each); C Moran, S Cusack (1-0 each); L Kavanagh, B O’Donovan (0-1 each).
Scorers for Dromcollogher Broadford: K Noonan (1-4, 0-1 free); P Donnelly (0-2, 0-2 frees); G Noonan (0-1 ’45), P Madigan (0-1 free); M Brosnan, D McCarthy, K Phair (0-1 each).
Monaleen: D O’Sullivan; D Enright; J O’Dwyer, R Murray; S Cusack, J Hoare, C Moran; B Fitzpatrick, R McGrath; E Doyle, L Kavanagh, B O’Donovan; G Collins, G O’Connell, P Quinn.
Subs: T Barry for Cusack (15 mins, inj); P Kinnerk for McGrath (50); E Quinlan for Barry (53); F Nash for Murray (53); N Loughran for O’Connell (64)
Dromcollogher Broadford: D Gayer; G Noonan, D O’Leary, G Egan; B Hannigan, B Noonan, S O’Sullivan; J O’Gorman, J Stokes; M Brosnan, P Donnelly, D McCarthy; K Noonan, G O’Gorman, P Madigan.
Subs: C Fahy for Donnelly (35); R Lynch for S O’Sullivan (38); M O’Sullivan for G O’Gorman (45); K Phair for B Noonan (50); M Reidy for G O’Gorman (56).
Subs: J Scully (Galbally).