Limerick SHC: Na Piarsaigh book semi-final spot after defeating Kilmallock

Will O’Donoghue put in a virtuoso performance in midfield, while Na Piarsaigh were also boosted by the return of Peter Casey from injury.

LIMERICK SHC: Na Piarsaigh booked their spot in the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals with a game to spare following a 2-23 to 1-14 win over Kilmallock at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Limerick SHC: Na Piarsaigh 2-23 Kilmallock 1-14

Na Piarsaigh booked their spot in the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals with a game to spare following a 2-23 to 1-14 win over Kilmallock at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale.

Shane O’Neill’s side fired over 1-14 in the second half to Kilmallock’s total of 1-2 to notch their third victory of the championship.

Will O’Donoghue put in a virtuoso performance in midfield, while Na Piarsaigh were also boosted by the return of Peter Casey from injuiry. He sent over two points after being sprung from the bench in the 40th minute.

It was a tight opening 30 minutes with the sides level eight times. However, Kilmallock failed to use the gale to their advantage, hitting eight wides.

They were level three times in the opening 10 minutes but frees from Shane O’Brien and Conor Hanley-Clarke gave Kilmallock some breathing space.

That lead soon evaporated as Shane Dowling’s penalty, after Adrian Breen was fouled, put Na Piarsaigh 1-3 to 0-5 in front.

The tight nature of the first half continued with Killian Hayes and Hanley-Clarke twice putting Kilmallock ahead, only for Na Piarsaigh to keep coming back.

Kilmallock’s cause wasn’t helped by injuries to Graeme Mulcahy and Ciaran O’Connor in the opening half. The sides went in all square at 0-12 to 1-9 at the break.

Na Piarsaigh set their stall out immediately in the second half thanks to a Dylan Lynch score after just 20 seconds following O’Donoghue’s delivery.

Ronan Lynch and O’Donnoghue followed up with further points without reply and then Na Piarsaigh hit a devastating blow.

A mistake in the Kilmallock defence opened the door for Daithi Dempsey to set up Dylan Lynch who flashed a powerful shot to the net. That saw Na Piarsaigh into a 2-12 to 0-12 advantage.

Pierce Connery and Oisin O’Reilly did reply for Kilmallock immediately after the goal but Na Piarsaigh hit back through Casey, four minutes after being introduced.

David Woulfe did fire in a goal for Kilmallock on 45 minutes after a defence-splitting run from O’Reilly but it proved to be their last score as Na Piarsaigh upped the tempo in the final quarter, with Ronan Lynch, O’Donoghue and Casey pulling the strings.

Dempsey, Downes (2) and Ronan Lynch soon restored their six-point advantage and the Caherdavin men didn’t let up from there.

Downes, Will Henn and Mike Foley then made it a nine-point game and the margin at the end was 12 after Dempsey, Downes and Casey once again hit the target.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: K Downes (0-8, 6f, 1’65), D Lynch (1-2), S Dowling (1-0, pen), R Lynch (0-3, 2f, 1’65), P Casey and D Dempsey (0-2 each), K Dempsey, A Breen, E McEvoy, W O’Donoghue, W Henn and M Foley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilmallock: S O’Brien (0-4, 4f), D Woulfe (1-0), K Hayes, C Hanley-Clarke (2f) and P Connery (0-2 each), R Hanley, P O’Brien, M Houlihan and O O’Reilly (0-1 each).

NA PIARSAIGH: S Downling; E McEvoy, M Casey, V Harrington; J Boylan, R Lynch, T Grimes; W O’Donoghue, J Finn; JJ Carey, K Dempsey, D Dempsey; K Downes, D Lynch, A Breen.

Subs: W Henn for K Dempsey (25), M Foley for Grimes (40), P Casey for Finn (40), M Hogan for D Lynch (52).

KILMALLOCK: C Hanley-Clarke; D O’Brien, R Egan, A Costello; M Houlihan, K O’Donnell, C O’Connor; R Hanley, K Hayes; C Staunton, G Mulcahy, O O’Reilly; P O’Brien, S O’Brien, O Enright.

Subs: P Connery for Mulcahy (24, inj), S Quirke for O’Connor (28, inj), D Woulfe for Staunton (40), G O’Mahony for P O’Brien (50), T Savage for Enright (52), S Dowling for O’Reilly (57, temp).

Referee: K Guina (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).