Polished Na Piarsaigh perfectly placed for assault on more prizes
30 October 2022; Daithi Dempsey of Na Piarsaigh is tackled by Mark O'Loughlin of Kilmallock during the Limerick County Senior Club Hurling Championship Final match between Kilmallock and Na Piarsaigh at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Manager Kieran Bermingham captained Na Piarsaigh to their first senior hurling championship victory in 2011. Yesterday in TUS Gaelic Grounds, along with his management team, which also includes Tipperary’s Declan Fanning as coach, he oversaw their seventh Daly Cup win.
Favourites beforehand to take the honours in this Bon Secours showdown, they put in one of their best performances on the immaculate new pristine pitch which was reopened after three months of development work.
They were assured of success from a long way out, despite two late Kilmallock goals.
These sides met in the group stage and a one-point win for Na Piarsaigh suggested we were in for a close encounter, but that did not materialise.
On reflection, Bermingham, who also managed Na Piarsaigh to 2020 glory, said the club is in a good place. They are the dominant senior hurling team of the last decade, and their footballers returned to the senior ranks on Saturday. There is an intermediate hurling final yet to come as well.
“It is absolutely brilliant to win today,“ he said. “And it is great that the intermediate footballers were able to get back their senior status. I know from looking at their manager, in particular, the amount of work he put into that group. Micheál Lynch was absolutely brilliant and I was thrilled they got the win they deserved yesterday.
“We got two great goals in the first half today, they came at great times for us. They gave us a great platform to kick into the second half. We are delighted we kept going.
“Absolutely thrilled with the result. We came, trying to chase a performance, and we are delighted we were able to do that.
“We tried to keep doing what we were doing. We set a couple of performance indicators for ourselves. We wanted to continue to strive towards those targets.
“The players are a credit to themselves, they are a credit to the club. They are a wonderful bunch of men that are happy in each other’s company. We are just delighted to get that performance.”
The goals from Adrian Breen in the first half - 6th and 32nd minutes - gave Na Piarsaigh a commanding 2-13 to 0-12 advantage at the break. A run of five points to one early in the second half essentially wrapped up the match.
Breen was in fine form, so too the outstanding Peter Casey, who has put his injury behind him, with a seven-point contribution and all from play.
Na Piarsiagh did look that bit sharper overall.
That said, Kilmallock stayed in touch for as long as they could, despite conceding a sixth-minute goal. They had a good spread of scorers including Graeme Mulcahy, Robbie Hanley and David Woulfe, while Micheál Houlihan converted from frees.
When Woulfe notched his second point, they were in a good position, trailing 1-12 to 0-12.
But their opponents struck 1-1 - Kevin Downes free and Breen’s second goal - just before the half-time whistle to leave them in control, 2-13 to 0-12.
By the 45th minute, it was 2-19 to 0-15 for the Caherdavin side. A red-hot Peter Casey scoring at will.
It was game over at this stage. Inspired also by the excellence of their defence, who only conceded one point from play in that third quarter.
Defending champions Kilmallock did, however, show character when they smashed in two late goals. Both green flags came from substitutes Conor Hanley Clarke (20-metre free) and Killian Hayes.
Unfortunately for them, while this acknowledged their capabilities, it was too late for any serious momentum.
But, as they had done all through, Na Piarsaigh would regain the scoreboard in emphatic fashion. They finished on a high when Daithi Dempsey fired their third goal after he availed of a high delivery in the final act of the evening.
Na Piarsaigh will play either Ballygunner or Kilruane MacDonaghs in the Munster club championship semi-final next month. With one All-Ireland title to their name in 2015/2016, they are sure to set their sights on the ultimate prize.
A Breen (2-3), K Downes (0-6 frees) and P Casey (0-7 each), D Dempsey (1-1), R Lynch (0-2 frees), M Foley, K Dempsey and W Henn (0-1 each).
M Houlihan (frees) and G Mulcahy (0-4 each), C Hanley Clarke (1-1 frees), K Hayes (1-0), D Woulfe and R Hanley (0-2 each), Paddy O’Loughlin and P O’Brien (0-1 each).
E Condon; M Foley, M Casey, C King; R Lynch, E McEvoy, S Long; W O’Donoghue (Capt), K Dempsey; C Boylan, K Downes, D Dempsey; W Henn, P Casey, A Breen.
E Gilvarry for K Dempsey (56), G Synnott for C King (59), T Grimes for R Lynch (60).
B Hennessy; M O’Loughlin, A Costello, D Joy; P O’Brien, G O’Mahony, Paddy O’Loughlin; Philip O’Loughlin, R Hanley; M Houlihan, G Mulcahy, P O’Reilly, O O’Reilly (Capt), S O’Brien, D Woulfe.
K O’Donnell for Philip O’Loughlin (37), R Egan for M Houlihan (42), C Hanley Clarke for D Woulfe (42), K Hayes for P O’Reilly (58).
Johnny Murphy (Ballylanders)
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