Wins for Fr Casey’s, Ballylanders and Galtee Gaels in round two of Limerick SFC

THERE were wins for Galtee Gaels, Ballylanders and Fr Caseys in Round 2 of the Irish Wire Products Limerick senior football championship on Friday evening.

A dominant display from Galtee Gaels saw them make it two wins from two when running out 3-10 to 1-5 victors over Ballysteen in an impressive Round 2 display in Kilmallock on Friday evening.

The South Limerick men, driven by the electric Zach McCarthy, proved too strong for Ballysteen in their Group 2 fixture, netting two quick-fire, first-half goals through Sean Casey and Alan Condon to lead at the interval 2-4 to 0-5.

Ballysteen were granted a lifeline immediately after the restart as Joey Rushe converted a penalty awarded for a foot block. However, that was to be Ballysteen’s only score of the second half.

Galtee Gaels soon kicked on with points from Condon, McCarthy, and Sean Clancy giving them a healthy advantage before Bob Childs pounced on a defensive error to raise a third green flag in the 58th minute, to put the icing on top of a dominant performance.

In Group 1, four late scores from Ballylanders saw them claim a precious 1-13 to 2-9 victory over Na Piarsaigh at Hospital.

Both sides were frustrated after heavy defeats in the opening round, with Na Piarsaigh now firmly on the back foot after failing to capitalise on a much-improved showing.

Action from Galtee Gaels meeting with Ballysteen in the Limerick SFC at Kilmallock | PICTURE: Keith Wiseman

Level 1-4 each at half time, both sides netted from the penalty spot with Danny Frewen cancelling out Kevin Nolan’s effort.

A goal from Tommy Glynn immediately upon the resumption gave the Caherdavin side a stranglehold, but failing to stretch this lead left the tie in the balance.

Dylan Cronin and Evan Egan pushed the light blues three points ahead on 54 minutes.

But Frewen (2), Jimmy Barry Murphy and youngster Robbie Downey all kicked scores in a frantic finale to give the south side the victory.

Meanwhile, Fr Casey’s secured their first win of the campaign when recording an impressive 1-16 to 0-9 victory over Oola in Clarina.

Fr Casey’s had led Oola by a single point at half-time, 0-5 to 0-4. 

This was in fact a tougher test for Fr Casey’s than the final winning margin of 10 points would suggest.

Held score for score through almost the entire first-half, it took the fancied Fealesiders until well into the final quarter to shake off the East Limerick club’s tenacious challenge and finish a very entertaining and intense contest on their own terms.

The big difference between the sides lay in the ability to take chances from play where Caseys able to field an array of finishers, not just in their starting lineup but also from the subs’ bench, while the the losers depended on Josh Ryan’s free-taking for most of their scores. 

On the plus side, however, was a sparkling performance by county player Adrian Enright. just back after a year’s travelling, who used his speed and his timing to rip open the Oola defence during the second-half burst that decided the outcome.

Just behind him in impact was teenage sub Adam Fitzgerald who chalked up a personal tally of 1-3 from play in his twenty minutes on the field after coming on as a sub. For Oola, on the other hand, it was a disappointing end to a spirited performance that leaves them pointless at the foot of the Group Two table not only with their play-off hopes hanging by a thread but also with a battle to avoid the relegation play-off.