Kilmallock clinch place in Limerick decider with late Egan goal

Doon led throughout but were denied at the death. 

LATE LATE SHOW: Shane O'Brien of Kilmallock celebrates after the Limerick County SHC semi-final match against Doon. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Kilmallock 1-13 

Doon 2-9 

Kilmallock are into the Limerick SHC final after a Robbie Egan injury-time goal saw them to a 1-13 to 2-9 win in Bruff.

Doon led for the majority of the game but Egan forced the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble to see Kilmallock to victory.

In a game that was played in dreadful conditions, goals in each half from Darragh Stapleton and Dean Coleman looked to have seen them through to face Na Piarsaigh but Kilmallock never gave up.

The Balbec hit the target with seven of the last eight scores of the game to give them a chance of retaining the Daly Cup.

Adam English and Micheál Houlihan exchanged frees early on before Pat Ryan got the first point from play after eight minutes.

The game was then delayed for up to 10 minutes due to a serious injury to Josh Ryan that saw the Limerick senior footballer stretchered off.

Doon settled after the long delay with Stapleton shooting low past Barry Hennessy for the opening goal of the game.

The conditions made free-flowing hurling nearly impossible with both sides unable to put a series of passes together.

Doon went into the break 1-6 to 0-5 ahead at half-time and Barry Murphy stretched that lead early in the second half to five points.

Graeme Mulcahy sent over his second of the game to cut the gap but then Stapleton turned provider for Coleman to hit first time to the net.

That put Doon eight points to the good and they looked in a great position going into added time.

Conor Hanley Clarke kept Kilmallock in touch from placed balls alongside efforts from play by Oisin and Phelim O’Reilly.

Doon still led by two deep into added time when Gavin O’Mahony’s long range free was not cleared and following a goalmouth scramble, Egan was on hand to scramble the ball into the net.

Scorers for Kilmallock: M Houlihan 0-4 (3f, 1’65), C Hanley Clarke (3f) 0-3, R Egan 1-0, G Mulcahy and S O’Brien 0-2 each, P O’Reilly and O O’Reilly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Doon: D Coleman 1-1, D Stapleton 1-0, B Murphy 0-2, A English (1f), P Ryan, C Ryan (1f), J Cummins, J Ryan, D O’Donovan (1f) 0-1 each 

Kilmallock: B Hennessy; M O’Loughlin, Phillip O’Loughlin, D Joy; A Costello, G O’Mahony, Paddy O’Loughlin; R Hanley, K O’Donnell; P O’Reilly, G Mulcahy, O O’Reilly; S O’Brien, M Houlihan, K Hayes.

Subs: R Egan for Hayes (h-t), P O’Brien for O’Donnell (38), C Hanley Clarke for Houlihan (45), D Woulfe for O O’Reilly (65 inj).

Doon: T Lynch; T Hayes, M O’Brien, C Thomas; P Cummins, R English, Josh Ryan; D O’Donovan, E Stokes; A English, B Murphy, C Ryan; D Coleman, D Stapleton, P Ryan.

Subs: J Cummins for Josh Ryan (7 inj), Jack Ryan for A English (27 inj), A English for Murphy (40 inj), D Cummins for M O’Brien (45 inj), B Purcell for D Stapleton (53), K Maher for Coleman (57), G Thomas for C Ryan (64).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Bruree).