Na Piarsaigh survive as Doon suffer sudden death penalty heartbreak
AGONY: Doon's Darragh O'Donovan reacts after missing in the penalty shoot-out at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
Kevin Downes’ sudden death penalty was the difference as Na Piarsaigh eventually saw off underdogs Doon to book an 11th Limerick SHC final appearance. Downes, as well as another former Limerick man, Shane Dowling, were the heroes in the first ever shoot-out at this level on Shannonside.
Shane O’Neill takes Na Piarsaigh to their 11th final, and a third under his guidance, having won a pair of titles in this first term in charge. They will face Kilmallock or Patrickswell who clash on Sunday. Doon remain without a Daly Cup and will seldom come closer to toppling the city side, despite their own lengthy injury list.
Following a 19-point victory in their group clash, Na Piarsaigh had a far sterner test against a Doon side who looked to believe from the first whistle. Level after 30, 60 and 80 minutes, these sides were level after six penalties before Downes scored after Dowling saved from Cormac Ryan.
It was a contest that Doon brought their best display of an inconsistent season to. A fast start set the tone and but for a six-minute period in the third quarter, they rarely allowed the three-in-a-row chasing Na Piarsaigh enjoy sustained dominance.
Doon were denied a Darragh Stapleton goal by a square ball after just sixty seconds – in what was a very tight call for the umpires. This didn’t deter the men in red who got three of the first four points with Kevin Maher and Adam English adding to Darragh O’Donovan’s immediate opener.
On the quarter hour, Peter Casey was denied by a superb Tomás Lynch save. A quick-thinking Ronan Lynch found Casey with a free before the Doon stopped turned it around the post.
The breakthrough goal arrived when a Ronan Lynch lineball was expertly flicked to the net, by goal poacher supreme, Adrian Breen. Question marks of a square ball were ignored by the officials.
The sides were level at half-time the easterners replied, 1-10 to 0-13 after English landed his fourth from play, this time from the sideline. Referee Johnny Murphy booked Doon manager Fergie O’Loughlin, seemingly for his protests surrounding the penalty appeal and early disallowed goal.
Barry Murphy hobbled out of the contest after shipping a heavy Kevin Downes shoulder immediately after the restart. But, like English later in the piece, he was reintroduced.
Breen netted his second, just when it appeared needed. Trailing by two, they worked a superb team move with Boylan, Casey and then Mike Foley involved. The latter saw his shot saved but the experienced Breen followed in to tap home.
This period saw Na Piarsaigh hit 1-3 without reply as a run of five Doon wides looked costly, before Cian O’Donovan, Darragh Stapelton and English brought them to within one. They would continue to trail in stoppage time, as JJ Carey thought he’d got the winner. Up stepped English to send the game beyond the 60 minutes.
In a more subdued extra period, there was still some drama. Dowling then missed a penalty, hitting the butt of the post, after David Dempsey was fouled by Darragh O’Donovan. But the Caherdavin men held the slender advantage at the next break, 2-21 to 0-26.
Peter Casey looked like getting the winner with a late point as the rain began to fall. Pat Ryan then took the frees with English injured, and he held his nerve to level it once more. Both stars would be one of the five nominated to take a penalty.
Adam English hobbled off but was re-introduced for the penalty shootout, after receiving some treatment. He would take a penalty but he was one of four who saw their penalties saved by Dowling, who scored two before Downes, in the seventh round, banged home the winner.
Casey had missed a chance to win this but he was bailed out by Dowling and Downes.
R Lynch 0-11 (0-8 frees, 0-2 ‘65s); A Breen 2-0; P Casey 0-4; D Dempsey, JJ Carey 0-2 each; C Boylan, W Kearns, V Harrington, J Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
A English 0-12 (0-8 frees) D O’Donovan 0-5 (0-2 frees); P Ryan 0-4 (0-1 free); J Ryan 0-3; C O’Donovan 0-2; D Stapleton, J Cummins, K Maher 0-1 each.
S Dowling; E McEvoy, M Casey (C), C King; M Foley, K Downes, V Harrington; C Boylan W Kearns, JJ Carey; D Dempsey, K Dempsey, R Lynch; A Breen, P Casey.
W Henn for Kearns (ht); J Fitzgerald for Lynch (75); J Finn for K Dempsey (76).
T Lynch; C Ryan, E Fitzgibbon, C O’Donovan; T Whelan, E Stokes, T Hayes; D O’Donovan, A English; B Murphy, D Stepleton, J Ryan; P Ryan (C), K Maher, D Coughlan.
G Thomas for Murphy (temp 33 - 39); D Cummins for Hayes (59); J Cummins for Stapleton (60), G Thomas for English (inj – 78); A English for Coughlan (81).
Johnny Murphy (Glenroe).
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