Limerick SHC Final/ Adare -14 Croom 0-5: What is seen as the showpiece of the Limerick calendar turned into a 67-minute flop at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday as Adare won their third title of the decade.
Statistics show even in winning, the west Limerick side had the luxury of going from the 17th to the 51st minutes scoring just one point, Croom managing just a single second-half point. Furthermore, four of the winners' points came in the final eight minutes.
Croom were outclassed in most departments by an Adare side whose credentials will be tested by Tipperary champions Loughmore-Castleiney, at the same venue next Sunday.
That Adare got to the winning post could be attributed to the midfield pairing of Michael Noonan and Wayne McNamara and the paucity of the Croom challenge. Mark Foley was head and shoulders above the rest.
Adare's Donnacha Sheehan, Brian Foley and Michael Noonan pointed before Peter Lawlor and Mark O'Riordan reduced the deficit but, by the 18th minute, Adare led by 0-9 to 0-2. The game fell flat as Sheehan tacked on another score, with John Barry and Stephen Cahill making it 0-10 to 0-4 at the break.
ADARE: S O'Donoghue; S O'Connell, JP Healy, P Lavin; R Kennedy, M Foley (0-1, free), M Clifford; W McNamara, M Noonan (0-2); C Fitzgerald (0-1), B Foley (0-1), D Sexton, D Sheehan (0-5, one free), L Costelloe (0-3), A O'Connell (0-1). Sub: A O'Rahilly for Fitzgerald
CROOM: G Flynn; P Reidy, S Lucey, M Cahill; M Riordan (0-1), P Cahill, S Lawlor; P Lawlor (0-1), J Cahill; S Cahill (0-1), H Flavin, M Cregan; N Cregan, P Cregan, S Moore (0-1). Subs: J Barry (0-1)for S Cahill, T Carmody for N Cregan, G O'Shea for J Cahill.
Referee: M O'Connor(Na Piarsaigh).
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