Shane Dowling salutes proud Thurles Sarsfields

Na Piarsaigh sharpshooter Shane Dowling has paid tribute to Sunday’s Munster club championship opponents Thurles Sarsfields, describing them as a “credit to their club”.

Thurles lost selector Jack Griffin to a road accident earlier this month and their provincial hurling semi-final with Na Piarsaigh was postponed as a result. The Tipperary champions duly came up short in the Gaelic Grounds against their Limerick counterparts with Dowling claiming seven points from frees.

Dowling had pause to think of the difficult scenario in which his opponents were operating even before the game started when Na Piarsaigh kitman Larry Hogan strapped the black armbands around their arms in the dressing-room.

Another example in a week littered with them of sport being put in perspective.

“First things first, and most importantly, for them to come out and play, I can’t imagine what it would be like,” the 22-year old said. “I’ve only ever lost one person in a road accident and he wasn’t extremely close to me, but I still got some shock.

“So, for that to happen to them and come out and play the way they did, they are a credit to their club. No doubt they did so in respect to that man. It was seriously tough for them. The most important thing is we showed our respect.

“They would hand back their county championship in a heartbeat. I can’t understand how they can do it, to come out and give a performance like that in those circumstances. The minute silence before the game... it was really a bad time for them.”

With the likes of Ballyhale Shamrocks and Portumna already in hibernation for the winter, Na Piarsaigh and Ballygunner approach next Sunday’s Munster final knowing that victory will leave them well positioned to break one of their county’s ducks in the AIB Club Championship.

Dowling accepts as much, but Na Piarsaigh have been blinded by the prospects of the bright lights and the big city before, when losing to a Loughgiel Shamrocks side that then went on to account for Offaly’s Coolderry in the All-Ireland final.

He remembers a local Limerick reporter telling him the week before the semi-final about the backing Loughgiel would enjoy in Parnell Park. Stone mad, the reporter, called them and sure enough the Limerick contingent was outnumbered four to one in the stands.

“I missed a free early on, right underneath them, and they weren’t long reminding me of it. They set the tone. I remember (Kevin Downes) got the last point to level it and we went into extra-time with all the momentum, but we still couldn’t beat them. We probably didn’t deserve to on the day.”

Bettering Ballygunner is challenge enough for now.