Na Piarsaigh 3-23 Kilmallock 2-15
Two first-half Adrian Breen goals and a late Daithí Dempsey goal dethroned defending champions Kilmallock as Na Piarsaigh captured their sixth Limerick senior hurling championship title in 10 years in an enthralling final at TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Na Piarsaigh’s win now puts the Caherdavin men level with South Liberties and the now defunct Young Irelands with seven senior titles.
In what was a meeting of the two giants of Limerick hurling over the past decade, the latest battle between Na Piarsaign and Kilmallock finished 3-23 to 2-15 in favour of Na Piarsaigh. Between them they have now won 10 of the last 12 Limerick SHC titles
That extra sprinkling of experience was decisive either side of half-time with Na Piarsaigh, in their eight final in 10 years, extending their seven-point half-time lead to 11 by the final whistle.
Goalscorer and man-of-the-match Breen top-scored for the winners with 2-3 while chief marksman Kevin Downes and Peter Casey impressed with seven points each. Limerick star Graeme Mulcahy and free-taker Micheal Houlihan topped the point-scoring charts with four each for Kilmallock.
Na Piarsaigh led at 2-13 to 0-12 by the break, Breen’s clinical sixth-minute strike set Kieran Bermingham’s charges on their way after both sides had been level on two separate occasions in the early stages. Na Piarsaigh led from the sixth minute until the final whistle.
Na Piarsaigh were one point winners when the sides met in the group stages in August. It was the third time both clubs have met in the senior decider.
They have split the past two meetings, Kilmallock dethroning the defending champions in 2014 before Na Piarsaigh gained their revenge in 2017.
There was so much quality on view with no fewer than 15 All-Ireland winners between the sides. A sign of the quality on show, the first wide of the game wasn’t until the 13th minute.
Kilmallock ended with nine wides, while Na Piarsaigh finished the game with just five wides.
The Caherdavin men had led by five points – 1-10 to 0-8 – with five minutes to go to half-time, but two quick-fire Kilmallock scores from Mulcahy and Robbie Hanley, the latter a superb effort from deep, narrowed the deficit to three.
Both sides exchanged points before Na Piarsaigh’s second goal came with the last puck of the opening 30 minutes – Breen rounded Aaron Costello after rising high to collect a mis-hit Peter Casey shot before blasting the ball past Barry Hennessy to put seven between the two sides at the break.
Midway through the second half, Na Piarsaigh had extended their lead to 10 points – 2-19 to 0-15 – with Peter Casey starring for the city men with four points from play in the third quarter.
Three late goals, two from Kilmallock and one for Na Piarsaigh, finished off an enthralling game on the Ennis Road.
Substitutes Conor Hanley Clarke and Killian Hayes scored late consolation goals before Daithí Dempsey raised the green flag to secure Na Piarsaigh’s impressive 11-point win – 3-23 to 2-15 – in favour of the Caherdavin side.
Na Piarsaigh will now face the winners of Tipperary champions Kilruane MacDonaghs and Waterford champions Ballygunner in three weeks’ time on November 20th in the Munster semi-final.
NA PIARSAIGH: Evan Condon; Seán Long, Mike Casey, Cathal King; Mike Foley (0-1), Emmet McEvoy, Ronan Lynch (0-2, two frees); William O’Donoughue (capt), Keith Dempsey (0-1); Kevin Downes (0-7, six frees), Peter Casey (0-7), Daithí Dempsey (1-1); William Henn (0-1), Conor Boylan, Adrian Breen (2-3)
Subs: Evan Gilvarry for Keith Dempsey (56), Gearóid Synnott for King (59), Thomas Grimes for Lynch (61).
KILMALLOCK: Barry Hennessy; Mark O’Loughlin, Aaron Costello, Dan Joy; Paudie O’Brien (0-1), Gavin O’Mahony, Paddy Loughlin (0-1); Robbie Hanley, (0-2), Philip O’Loughlin; Phelim O’Reilly, Oisín O’Reilly (capt), Micheal Houlihan (0-4, four frees); Shane O’Brien, Graeme Mulcahy (0-4), David Woulfe (0-2).
Subs: Kevin O’Donnell for Philip O’Loughlin (37), Robbie Egan for Houlihan (42), Conor Hanley Clarke (1-1) for Woulfe (42), Killian Hayes (1-0) for Phelim O’Reilly (59).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Ballylanders)
