Shane O'Brien's 2-12 edges Kilmallock past Monaleen in extra-time
Kilmallock's Aaron Costello controls the sliotar against Monaleen in the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final. Pic: Brendan Gleeson
Kilmallock booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship with a 2-27 to 0-30 win over Monaleen after extra-time in Bruff on Sunday
Limerick star Shane O’Brien proved the difference-maker in the quarter-final with 2-12 of Kilmallock’s total. His second goal of the game, in extra time, was the crucial score.
O’Brien was a class apart throughout in what was a superb game of hurling. The reward for James Hickey’s side is a semi-final fixture with Na Piarsaigh.
Monaleen bow out of the championship but will be at the top table in 2026 following a first place finish in Group 2.
The city side had the advantage of a strong breeze in the opening half-hour but it was O’Brien that delivered the first score of the game.
Two long-range Lorcan Lyons frees and a strike from play by Luke Murphy was Monaleen’s response to go 0-3 to 0-1 up with seven on the clock.
O’Brien landed two placed balls to level the game for a second time but Matthew Fitzgerald (2) and Joe Fitzgerald saw Monaleen edge control, before Lyons hit the target again from distance to put them four clear.
Lyons made it a 0-10 to 0-5 advantage in the 25th minute but there was a sting in Kilmallock before the break.
David Woulfe and O’Brien raised white flags and it was the latter that got the goal when the former set him up with a deft touch.
O’Brien raced through and fired into the roof of the net beyond Jamie Power in the Monaleen goal. That saw the half-time score at 0-12 to 1-7.
O’Brien and Joe Fitzgerald traded blows at the start of the second-half but the tide started to turn in Kilmallock’s favour with efforts from O’Brien (2), Oisin O’Reilly and Phelim O’Reilly that saw Hickey’s men go in front.
The introduction of Mark O’Dwyer gave Monaleen new impetus with the sub and Lyons sending over further scores from distance as the game headed into the final 10 minutes all square.
The contest ebbed and flowed in the remaining time and Conor Staunton looked to have nicked it at the death for Kilmallock, only for an O’Dwyer free to send it to extra-time on a 0-24 to 1-21 scoreline.
Kilmallock held a one-point lead at half-time in extra-time and had doubled that advantage by the time O’Brien broke through a couple of tackles to bury a second goal.
O’Dwyer was whiskers away from ushering in a penalty shootout but his 20-metre free crashed off the post and it is Kilmallock that advance to the last four.
S O’Brien 2-12 (6f, 1 ’65), P Connery, K Hayes and C Staunton 0-2 each, D Woulfe, R Hanley, O O’Reilly, P O’Reilly, S Carroll, K Hayes, R Egan, P O’Brien and O Enright 0-1 each.
M O’Dwyer 0-8 (7f), L Lyons 0-7 (6f), M Fitzgerald 0-4 (2f) J Fitzgerald 0-3, A La Touche Cosgrave and D Ferland 0-2 each, L Murphy, R Lyons, D Langan and D Ó Dálaigh 0-1 each.
C Hanley-Clarke; D O’Brien, M O’Loughlin, A Costello; R Egan, K O’Donnell, S Carroll; K Hayes, R Hanley; P Connery, P O’Reilly, G O’Mahony; O O’Reilly, S O’Brien, D Woulfe.
T Savage for O’Donnell (41), C Staunton for P O’Reilly (46), S Quirke for Connery (50), P O’Brien for O’Mahony (54), S Dowling for Woulfe (60), C O’Connor for Carroll (61), O Enright for O O’Reilly (h-t, e-t), E Ryan for Hayes (71).
J Power; S Griffin, B Canny, N Clancy; R Lyons, D Langan, L Lyons; J Fitzgerald, L McHale; L Murphy, E O’Driscoll, A La Touche Cosgrave; D Ferland, M Fitzgerald, D Ó Dálaigh.
M O’Dwyer for McHale (35), B Hayes for O’Driscoll (41), E Maher for Murphy (60), L McHale for R Lyons (61), L Murphy for M Fitzgerald (76).
L Berkery (Ahane).
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