Na Piarsaigh show their muscle to defend Limerick SHC crown
JOB DONE: Na Piarsaigh captain Mike Casey celebrates with the cup after his side's victory in the Limerick County Senior Club Hurling Championship final. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Na Piarsaigh successfully defended their Limerick SHC crown with a composed four-point victory over Patrickswell at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night.
Seven frees from Ronan Lynch, who also tagged on one from play, as well as a goal by All-Star Peter Casey made the difference as Shane O’Neill’s side wrestled the contest under control early on and never looked like letting it slip.
With a host of Limerick’s All-Ireland winning outfit in action, the county decider immediately erected the same tactical assembly. Will O’Donoghue, starting his first competitive game since the All-Ireland final, was freed up as a sitting six at one end with Diarmuid Byrnes doing similar at the other.
Those terms turned the opening half-hour into a Mexican standoff. It took 15 minutes for the first speculative trigger to be pulled with a quick exchange of goal chances. John Kirby rifled across goal and harmlessly wide and a minute later Jason Gillane pulled off his first of two opening-half saves as he stood up and denied Peter Casey.
Gillane stood tall again with Adrian Breen bearing down on goal after a superb Kevin Downes pass sent him away. Not to be outdone, Shane Dowling dived full-length to stop a Kevin O’Brien first-time lift and strike from reaching the top corner.
Dowling turned creator shortly after as his long ball broke kindly for Peter Casey who wriggled and wrestled his way through a ruck and headed for goal. He was met fiercely yet still managed to throw his boot at the sliotar while he was falling and deliver the game’s only green flag.
At turnaround, Na Piarsaigh led 1-8 to 0-7, with Patrickswell captain Aaron Gillane rueing two wides including a routine free on his left sideline. The leading contender for Hurler of the Year emerged for the second half with his right leg heavily strapped. Midfielder Jack Kelleher kept them in touch with three superb scores, the best of the lot coming straight from a sideline.
Na Piarsaigh’s advantage was still at four when Ronan Lynch was picked out by a terrific Will Henn pass and dummied his way into the large square. His goal bound effort rebounded off Mark Carmody and Patrickswell broke, Diarmuid Byrnes unable to make it count from a long-range free. That became a theme.
With 10 minutes left, a Gillane free cut the margin to three. He subsequently laid off for a Kevin O’Brien point after immense pressing from Kelleher to ensure a grandstand finish.
Even when the opening appeared, Patrickswell could never find that final kick to draw level. Ronan Lynch missed a free and from the very next puckout, the ball went straight to Downes who gladly drilled it back. Diarmuid Byrnes struck a wide from range. Substitute Calvin Carroll came on and scored but Conor Boylan fired back with a driving run yielding a tap over free.
With consecutive Daly Cups secure, Na Piarsaigh march on to the Munster semi-final where they face the winners of Ballygunner and Sarsfields.
Ronan Lynch 0-8 (7 free), Peter Casey 1-1, Kevin Downes 0-4, David Dempsey 0-2, Conor Boylan 0-2, Mike Foley 0-1, Will Henn 0-1, JJ Carey 0-1.
: Aaron Gillane 0-7 (5 frees), Jack Kelleher 0-4 (1 sideline), Diarmuid Byrnes 0-2 (2 frees), Kevin O’Brien 0-2, Mark Carmody 0-1, John Flynn 0-1, Calvin Carroll 0-1, Evan Fitzgerald 0-1.
: S Dowling; E McEvoy, M Casey (C), C King; M Foley, W O’Donoghue, V Harington; R Lynch, C Boylan; JJ Carey, D Dempsey, K Downes; A Breen, W Henn, P Casey.
Subs: K Dempsey for Henn (temp 53-54), K Dempsey for Breen (57), J Fitzgerald for Henn (62)
: J Gillane; K Lynch, M Carmody, J Flynn; E Fitzgerald, D Byrnes, C Fitzgerald; J Kelleher, J Considine; K O’Brien, C Lynch, J Higgins; T O’Brien, A Gillane (C), J Kirby.
Subs: P Kirby for O’Brien (half-time), T Nolan for E Fitzgerald (temp 37-40), C Carroll for Considine (44), N Foley for Kirby (49), T Nolan for Higgins (60) Referee: M Sexton (Bruree)
