MONALEEN and Newcastle West are the respective group flag bearers after a couple of rounds in the Limerick Senior Football Championship.
Eddie Cosgrave’s fine side are two wins from as many starts in Group One following a snug 1-16 to 2-7 defeat of city rivals and relegation-threatened Na Piarsaigh.
Talented midfielder Steven Kiely grabbed 1-3 for the winners.
Elsewhere, unbeaten Adare were given an acid test by newcomers Rathkeale before eventually squeezing through, 2-13 to 0-17.
In a marvellous contest, the goals arrived in either half from Shane O’Connor and lively substitute Ollie Desmond.
And last season’s beaten finalists, Fr Casey’s and Oola, played themselves to a standstill in a drawn tussle, 1-13 to 2-10. The levelling score came from Oola’s Josh Ryan, now already the scorer of an incredible 2-13 in C’ship ‘25.
In Group Two, the ever-brilliant Iain Corbett netted an awesome hat-trick as the Magpies swept past Kildimo Pallaskenry 4-8 to 0-4.
Tucked in behind their neighbours in the group are St Kieran’s on the back of a couple of splendid wins over Galtee Gaels and Ballylanders, respective outings in which Liam Kennedy (2-1) and John Hayes (0-12) scored at will.
And, Mungret St Paul’s are off the mark following a defeat of Gaels, one which was more convincing than the full-time score of 0-18 to 2-9.
John Hutton (0-5), Shane Barry (0-3), and Tom Llyod (0-3) all kicked neat scores for the winners.
Round three is pencilled in for two weeks’ time.
Meanwhile, if the controversial seeding of Kerry and Cork straight into the semi-finals of the Munster Senior Football Championship goes ahead, the other counties – including Limerick – will, it’s understood, receive €25,000 each.
This modest sum would be ringfenced for football use within Limerick, such as to help pay towards the employment of a dedicated football coaching officer.