McLoughlin dedicates win number four to the late Dr Bob Sheehy

IN A lovely gesture, Dromcollogher/Broadford captain Tom McLoughlin dedicated the club’s latest Live 95FM Limerick Senior Football Championship triumph to the late Dr Bob Sheehy.

A lifelong supporter of football, it was the late Mr. Sheehy that brought the club alive a decade or so ago.

He was, more than anyone else probably, responsible for the completion of a wondrous rise from the club as a junior B team to Team of the Decade in Limerick in the opening years of this new Millennium.

Along with long-serving mentor and player Maurice McCarthy, it was Dr. Sheehy that secured the services of future Limerick and Laois manager Liam Kearns, winner of an All-Ireland SFC medal with Kerry in 1985.

Under Kearns, Mr. Sheehy was team doctor with Limerick.

“Above anyone else, I dedicate this win to the late Dr. Bob Sheehy,” declared McLoughlin after he accepted the impressive Fr. William Casey Memorial Cup from Limerick Football Board Chairman John Galvin.

“He was the man that really made this team, when were just minors ten years ago or so.  And, I know, along with some other great stalwarts of ours, that he was up there in heaven today pulling a few strings for us, and kicking a few balls right for us as well.”

McLouglin’s praise of Dr Sheehy drew arguably the biggest round of applause of the afternoon from the attendance of around 3,000 in the Mick Mackey Stand. McLoughlin was leading his team for the fourth time to county senior championship glory, a feat that was previously never achieved in the 100-odd year history of the competition.

The skipper also praised former manager and current selector “the great” Moss McCarthy, and the rest of the backroom staff including new boss John Brudair (himself he holder of two SFC medals), Ned English, Mike Quaid, Mike Fahy, Jim Barry, Christine McCarthy, Denis ‘Law’ Noonan, Gary Noonan and Jim Barry.

Of McLoughlin, Galvin commented: “It’s an astonishing achievement to believe that Tom has captained Dromcollogher/Broadford to all of their wins in the Limerick Championship.  It’s remarkable really, but for all the years I have know him, he has been nothing but a great servant to his club and his county. And, there’s still plenty left in Tom as we all witnessed out there again today.”

In a contest where Dromcollogher/Broadford reigned supreme practically in all areas of the field, McLoughlin once more delivered a hugely impressive display in the heart of defence, a performance that might earn him a recall to the Limerick SF squad by manager Mickey ‘Ned’ O’Sullivan.

Reidy is real class act on centre stage

TWELVE months on from a hurtful defeat to Ballylanders in the final, Dromcollogher/Broadford returned as the kingpins of the Live 95FM Limerick Senior Football Championship with a comfortable 2-15 to 1-8 win over the same opposition in the 2008 decider at the Gaelic Grounds.

“The real motivating factor for us was not to beat Ballylanders, it was to convince ourselves that we were a better team than what showed-up for last year’s final,” revealed man-of-the-match Míchaél Reidy.

“Not many others outside of ourselves might have believed it was possible, but we simply had to come back this year and prove to the county that we were worthy of our place to challenge for a Limerick Senior Football Championship title.”

Reidy was simply awesome all through, kicking a wonderful eight points, all bar one of which arrived from general play.

“Every game is different.  In many ways it just didn’t work out for us last year, from a forwards perspective anyway. This year, there was a great team bond and nobody minded who kicked the points as long as we had enough at the end to win matches,” said the modest star.

“I was lucky maybe in that today I was at the end of some fine moves by others and the win is really all that matters.”

He added: “We’re a very small club, in rural Limerick, with a very small pick, and every county title that comes out way is one that will be cherished by an entire community.”

The now four-times winners this decade suffered a terrible opening with the soft concession of a goal to last year’s man-of-the-match Kieran O’Callaghan.

It propelled Ballylanders into an early four-point advantage, but the brave westerners battled bravely back into contention and were just a solitary point in arrears at the interval, 1-6 to 0-8.

“We were very happy to go in just one point down at half-time,” Reidy admitted. 

“The goal was a disaster, but obviously we recovered well from it, which says a lot about the character of this team. Overall, the first half was end-to-end stuff but our great start to the second-half (1-4 without reply inside ten minutes to move six points in front) knocked the wind out of the Bally’ challenge. We simply pulverised them in ten minutes.  We’re being dubbed the Team of the Decade, which is nice recognition for our achievements over the last ten years or so, but isn’t there another year left in this decade?”

Limerick well represented in inter-provincial finals

LIMERICK interest is again expected to be high with Munster doubly engaged in the Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Championship Finals under lights at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise on Saturday night next.

The hurling contest is between Munster and Leinster (6pm), to be followed at 7.45pm by the football decider involving Munster and Connacht.

Last seasons’ Young Hurler of the Year Seamus Hickey (Murroe/Boher) and 2007 All-Star Andrew O’Shaughnessy both featured for Munster in their troublesome 2-14 to 1-12 win over Ulster in miserable weather conditions at Fermoy.

In addition, Donal O’Grady was introduced as a second-half replacement for Clare’s Brian O’Connell, and impressed enough to suggest he might start in the next outing.

Leinster secured their final berth with a 2-11 to 1-10 victory over Connacht at Kiltoom.

Munster are managed by Len Gaynor, and the selection committee also includes Limerick Secretary Mike O’Riordan. On the issue of the future of the competition, Gaynor accepted the prospects are not bright.

“The players want to play for their province and are honoured to be asked to be play,” he said.  “The public haven’t much interest in it.

“Hopefully, the final under lights in Portlaise might draw a reasonable crowd.  It is a great opportunity for players as they’re not under serious pressure like they would be with their counties, so they can display their talents.  It’s hard to know if it has a future. It’s hard to keep in going if the public don’t come to see it.  Everything is against it but hopefully it’ll survive.”

Limerick are even better represented on the football front, with Johnny McCarthy (St. Kieran’s), Adare’s Stephen Lavin, John Galvin of Croom and Ian Ryan (St. Senan’s) all part of the side which overcame Ulster in a tight battle, 1-5 to 0-5, in Fermoy.

Mike Crowley of Monaleen was used as a substitute in the closing stages.

In the other semi-final, a strong Connacht side toppled Leinster (2-15 to 0-11) at Kiltoom.

A member of the management structure is Limerick Football secretary Sean McAuliffe.

Meanwhile, Jason O’Mahony (Kildimo) has been appointed to referee Sunday’s AIB Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship quarter-final between Kerry senior winners Kilmoyley and Blarney of Cork, a tie that will be hosted by the Kingdom representatives.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment