Na Piarsaigh and Doon get vote from Moran

It’s been a hectic week in Limerick with the end of John Allen’s term as senior hurling manager but tomorrow, at the Gaelic Grounds, attention turns to the senior hurling semi-finals, with Adare facing Doon (2pm) and Kilmallock meeting Na Piarsaigh (3.30).

Former Limerick captain Ollie Moran is one of Ahane’s longest-serving players and came on as a sub in their heavy quarter-final loss against Na Piarsaigh. As such he’s well placed to give his assessment of the four semi-finalists.

“Definitely, the four best teams are still standing, they’re a good bit ahead of everyone else. Kilmallock, Na Piarsaigh, Adare and Doon did well in the group stage and all had huge wins in their quarter-finals, you couldn’t argue with any of them being there.”

Moran believes two interesting ties are in store. “You have the champions of the past three years in one semi-final, Na Piarsaigh (2011) and Kilmallock (2010 & 2012), the old dogs (Adare, champions in 2007/8/9) and the young pups (Doon) in the other.

“Na Piarsaigh and Kilmallock were hot favourites at the start of the year to make the semi-finals at least, the two best teams in the county at that stage. If you were then to pick two more from the rest, Adare still have a core of the successful team of the last 10 years and a lot of good young lads coming through, so they weren’t going to be far away. Doon would have been many people’s dark horses. They’ve been very successful at underage and at U21, they’ve been knocking on the door for a few years. I think it’s only a matter of time before they win a senior county, the question is when?”

As for the games themselves, what’s likely to happen? “Na Piarsaigh and Kilmallock are both going to have to peak for this one, play their best game of the year because if they don’t, they’re gone. There’s a bit of history between them too in recent years, last year especially – Na Piarsaigh will be looking for revenge after losing their title in what many felt was the best game of the last decade and more in Limerick. It was a huge score, 4-24 to 4-13, Na Piarsaigh were very hurt by that. What hurt them even more, they were also the Munster champions. They didn’t play poorly, they just met a Kilmallock side playing at the top of its game and they then went on to win the county afterwards. They play a similar game, both very attack-minded and many people see this as the pick of the semi-finals.”

And Adare/Doon? “That’s almost equally intriguing. Adare have been around for a while, never really went away. Doon’s problem is consistency – they’re notoriously inconsistent when they get to this stage of the championship.”

Winners? “Na Piarsaigh are a big, physical team but also have the hurling, are in good form, dangerous forwards, and they’re far hungrier than they were last year. I’d fancy them here, but only marginally. Same thing in the other one, going for Doon, just.”