Fr Casey’s, Abbeyfeale, have qualified for the Limerick senior football championship final following a 0-11 to 0-9 win over Adare in Newcastlewest this afternoon.

(More to follow)

Abbeyfeale are through to the county senior football final following a hard-earned but fully-merited win over Adare on Sunday.

The Fealesiders entered this game as outsiders but seem to revel in the tag of “underdog” and never know when they are beaten.

As in so many of their games this year, they sat back early on and allowed the opposition to build up a healthy advantage. They trailed by 0-7 to 0-2 after twenty minutes and some neutrals in the crowd were already edging towards the exits and looking forward to an early pint of plain in front of the Sky Sports in Pat Whelan’s. However, those of us who witnessed the second coming against Ballylanders the previous Sunday, sat tight and waited.

You will recall in that game the Fealesiders trailed 1-8 to 0-1 with five minutes gone in the second half. They then stood the universe on its head and defied the laws of all known physics when storming back and winning by the minimum margin, 2-7 to 1-9.

We expected something similar against Adare. We were not disappointed.

Abbeyfeale dominated the closing ten minutes of the first half and points from Martin Scannell and Daniel O’Connor saw them behind by just one point, 0-7 to 0-6 at the break.

They were level ten minutes into the second half when John Lenihan floated over the equalizing point. Martin Scannell and substitute Robert Browne eased Abbeyfeale into a two point lead, and the Fealesiders were given the opportunity to settle the issue when Shay McAuliffe was hauled down in the penalty area. However, Scannell was denied by a good save from the ‘keeper.

Inter county footballer, Conor Fitzgerald, then shot over two points to level the game and ensure a nail- biting finish.

As the game ebbed and flowed in those dramatic final minutes, man of the match, Robert Browne, fisted over a lead point for Abbeyfeale with the clock counting down, and Martin Scannel coolly slotted over a pointed free in injury time to ensure a memorable victory and unleash scenes of unprecedented celebration among the travelling army of fans.

And so Abbeyfeale find themselves tip-toeing almost apologetically into another county final. At the start of the season very little was expected of this squad of relatively young players, and most football pundits felt that they probably needed this season to bring them along.

However, nobody informed the players of this as they continued to rip the form book to shreds. Trainer, John Colbert, has moulded together a nice blend of youth and experience. They are fit, fresh and, with the exuberance of youth, they fear nobody.. Their total commitment and never-say-die attitude has endeared them to the whole community, and you can be sure that there will be no parking problems in the town in a couple of weeks time as all of Abbeyfeale will be in the Gaelic Grounds to cheer on the Fealesiders in their quest to win the trophy that they last held in the year 2000!

Next year is the centenary of the patron saint of the club, Fr William Casey. You can be certain that this venerable cleric will be looking down with benevolent eye on the club that he helped to found, and if, during the final, there is any way that he can (legally) lend a hand, such as a sudden change in wind direction to correct a wayward free kick, or a sudden shower of blinding hailstone to disrupt an opposition attack, he will not be found wanting!

It has been an amazing journey thus far for the footballers of Abbeyfeale. They’ll never end up winning the damn thing – WILL THEY?

AWARD

Congratulations to Michelle Mulcahy, Killarney Road, who received the Young Musician of the Year award from TG4 at a concert in the Opera House in Cork on Sunday night. Louise accepted her award from well-known flautist and Chieftain’s member, Matt Malloy. She then gave a solo performance on the harp before being joined onstage by her father, Mick and sister, Louise for a rousing session of reels. The event was televised live by TG4. Michelle is a multi-instrumentalist who has already won numerous All Ireland titles and awards for her traditional music playing. Last year, she made an album, “Notes From The Heart” with her father and sister which sold particularly well.

GUN CLUB

: A meeting of the local gun club will take place at the Community Centre on this Wednesday 4^th October at 8pm sharp.

ADORATION

; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has resumed at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Abbeyfeale from Monday to Friday between 6pm and 8pm.

FR CASEY

: Details of a competition to be run in conjunction with Fr Casey’s Commemoration have been circulated to local post-primary schools, and are as follows; (A) Aiste. “Is Mor Idir Inne Agus Inniu. 1907-2007” (B) Photography. Nature; landscape, environment, animals. Life; sport, culture, recreation, social activity. Junior Cycle; a poem in Irish or English entitled “Father Casey” The closing date for receipt of competition entries is Friday 25^th November 2006.

GAA:

Fr Casey’s advanced to the Limerick county senior football final with an 0-11 to 0-9 win over Adare in Newcastlewest on Sunday. They will play St Senan’s in the final.

KARATE;

Training for beginners aged 6 to 12 has commenced at the Sports Complex, Abbeyfeale.

SOCCER;

Abbeyfeale Utd A went three points clear in the premiership with a 2-0 win over Rathkeale. Paul Doherty and David Roche were the Abbeyfeale scorers. Abbeyfeale Utd B were beaten 1-0 by Old Mill.