ADARE were crowned County champions thanks to a three-point victory over Crecora Manister/South Liberties in the long-awaited 2020 Limerick County Minor A football championship final played in Bruff on Friday evening.

Delayed since last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, it was Adare who started the game the brighter of the two sides and led 0-4 to 0-1 at the first water break.

As the rain held off in Limerick, scores from Michael Keane and impressive half-forward Michael O’Mahony had given the West Limerick side the well-deserved three-point advantage.

Both sides exchanged points before half-time to make it 0-5 to 0-2 at the break. However, Crecora Manister/South Liberties upped their game after the interval and a well-taken Sam Riordan with five minutes left on the clock ensured an exciting finish.

The clinical centre half-forward’s effort made it a one-point game in the dying moments – 0-8 to 0-7 in favour of Adare.

But a superb Diarmuid Hartnett-Browne goal with three minutes to go sealed the win for Adare.

The point of the game came from Ciaran Kennedy whose outside of the foot effort had narrowed the deficit to three after half-time.

Late points from Crecora Manister/South Liberties full-back Alex O’Doherty and Riordan – his fifth  free of the evening – proved to be too little too late for the East Limerick amalgamation side.

Final score 1 goal and 9 pts to 9pts.

David Byrne: Email: sport@limerickleader.ie

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