Goal spread key as Doon continue fine form

A fourth win on the trot was enough to book a last-four berth.

HOT PURSUIT: Eoin Fitzgibbon, Doon, in possession against Darragh O'Hagan, Mungret St Paul's in the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship, Group 1 in Doon. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Limerick SHC: Doon 5-21 Mungret St. Paul’s 0-18 

Doon maintained their 100% record with a fourth victory on the spin, swatting Mungret St. Paul’s aside to book a semi-final spot with a game to spare. Five different goalscorers over the hour meant that city side Mungret were no match for the East Limerick side, with relegation straight back to Senior ‘B’ now confirmed for 2025.

A double-scores winning margin was perhaps some bit harsh on Mungret, who’ve found the going tough in the last fortnight after falling to a brace of one-point losses in the opening rounds.

For Derek McGrath and Doon, they’ll be thrilled to be able to rest Adam English, who once again, was in scintillating form. His maiden telling contribution was to set up Darragh Stapleton for a goal after 11 minutes, though Mungret felt he played the hurley of a defender when winning possession.

Hitting 12 goals in four games is the type of form needed to attack the Daly Cup, the silverware which has eluded them despite several close calls in recent years.

Brian Begley’s young charges rallied, and trailed by a point when Brian Barry and Paul O’Brien clipped over points. However, Doon stepped firmly on the accelerator to leave the side they defeated in the quarter-final last year, firmly in their dust.

A run of 1-4 to a point in six quick minutes to close the half opened up a 2-9 to 0-8 half-time lead. Chris Thomas burst through from the 65 meter line, dummied and bounced to the net for their second.

Kevin Maher was hauled back by Conor O’Brien early in the second half, allowing Barry Murphy to find the net with the penalty. English added his green flag on 44 minutes, with Stapleton returning the favour of laying off the ball.

Called ashore shortly afterwards, English’s absence wasn’t felt, with further scores from Maher, Cian O’Donovan and Patrick Cummins swelling the margin. The final goal came from Eddie Stokes approaching full-time, further salt into the gaping Mungret wound.

For their part, Mungret didn’t throw in the towel. Indecision perhaps cost them three clear goal chances, while Tomas Lynch was on hand to deny a couple of other efforts as they chased a green flag of their own.

Doon can relax in their final game with Ahane. They completed this game without with injured duo, Richie English and Donal Coughlan, though Pat Ryan’s hand healed enough for him to return to the XV this afternoon.

Doon join Na Piarsaigh in the semi-finals, with two of Kilmallock, Patrickswell and Ahane to occupy the final two spots in this group.

The other group sees Ballybrown, Monaleen, Kildimo Pallaskenry and Dromin Athlacca in a race for the other two knock-out spots. Adare and South Liberties will meet to decide who is relegated from Senior hurling.

Scorers for Doon: A English 1-7 (0-3f, 0-1 ’65); C Thomas 1-2; D Stapleton 1-1; B Murphy 1-1 (1-0 pen); Eddie Stokes 1-1; C O’Donovan 0-3; G Thomas 0-2; K Maher 0-2; P Ryan (free) 0-1; P Cummins 0-1.

Scorers for Mungret St. Paul’s: F Fitzgerald 0-6 (0-1 ’65); P O’Brien 0-3 (0-1f, 0-1 ’65); L Lynch 0-2; C O’Halloran 0-1; N Mulcahy 0-1, B Barry 0-1, Shane Barry 0-1; S Duff 0-1; R Duff 0-1; B Duff 0-1.

Doon: T Lynch; T Hayes, E Fitzgibbon, C O’Donovan; J Ryan, B Murphy, C Thomas; D O’Donovan (C), M O’Brien; E Stokes, K Maher, P Ryan, G Thomas, A English, D Stapleton.

Subs: P Cummins for Hayes (38); T Whelan for English (50).

Mungret St. Paul’s: C O’Brien; B Molyneaux, M O’Sullivan, L Harrington; B Barry, P Begley (C), B O’Meara; B Duff, R Duff; C O’Halloran, F Fitzgerald, P O’Brien; N Mulcahy, L Lynch, D O’Hagan.

Subs: C O'Brien for O'Hagan (HT), S Duff for O’Brien (43); E O’Doherty for Lynch (50); S Barry for Mulcahy (56).

Referee: K Guina (Feohanagh).