Newcastle West's net gains earn third Limerick title in a row

Newcastle West 3-05 Adare 0-13

Eoin Hurley starred with 2-04 as Newcastle West secured their third Limerick SFC title in a row with a dramatic one-point win over Adare at a rain-drenched TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

In a bizarre game of football played in very difficult conditions, Jimmy Lee's men ground out the result to win their fourth county crown in five years despite only scoring one point from play.

In what was the third time these two sides met in the senior county final in as many years, two first-half goals from Hurley were the difference as the Magpies held the narrowest of winning margins at the break, 2-02 to 0-07, despite not scoring a point from play in the opening 30 minutes.

A third Newcastle West goal, a Bryan Nix effort six minutes into the second half, put the West Limerick men into a strong position before Lee’s charges held off a late comeback, as Adare scored four of the last five points in the final quarter to ensure a nailbiting finish at the Ennis Road venue.

As expected, Lee’s Newcastle West side started the brighter of the two sides and were duly rewarded for their efforts when Hurley kicked over a sixth-minute free to give the county champions an early lead.

Limerick inter-county star Hugh Bourke had Adare level by the 10th minute amid several minutes of sustained pressure and a solid defensive display from the men in red and back.

Two minutes later, Adare were ahead for the first time as Bourke slotted over his second of the afternoon – a close-range free kick into the city end.

The momentum was with the men from Adare at this stage and a flurry of quick-fire points followed.

Points from Ronan Connolly, Robbie Bourke, and David Connolly had given Adare a four-point lead.

By the time Hugh