Na Piarsaigh go extra mile to reclaim Limerick hurling title from Doon 

UP FOR GRABS: Doon's Chris Thomas and Mikey O’Brien competes in the air with Daithí Dempsey and Adrian Breen of Na Piarsaigh in the Limerick SHC final at the Gaelic Grounds. Pic: Ben Brady, Inpho

Limerick SHC final: Na Piarsaigh 2-25 Doon 2-18 (after extra-time)

SIX unanswered Na Piarsaigh points in the first half of additional time set them on their way to a ninth Limerick SHC title in 14 years.

Defending champions Doon will rue a wide count of 19 wides in normal time but ultimately they ran out of gas here in TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Of that half a dozen points, half of them were scored by substitutes. Both Keith Dempsey and goalscorer Conor Boylan made huge impressions coming off the bench.

Na Piarsaigh led 2-23 to 2-18 at the turnaround in extra-time and stretched further ahead with a couple of points from Peter Casey and Daithí Dempsey as Doon searched in vain for a goal.

In normal time, Darragh O’Donovan’s 57th minute piece of wizardry appeared to have clinched the game for Doon. They had trailed for most of the half and were chasing after Adrian Breen’s shot dribbled into the net after Darragh Stapleton managed to touch it two minutes into the second half.

But from five points down back they fought with Adam English and O’Donovan working in great cahoots and the latter had the presence of the mind to find the net with less than two minutes of normal time remaining.

Dean Coleman had a free won but advantage was allowed, he passed outside to the advancing O’Donovan whose feign fooled the Na Piarsaigh defender and his shot foiled Shane Dowling.

After a poor distribution from Dowling, Eddie Stokes’s second point put Doon three up but the drama continued. Ronan Lynch landed a ball to the edge of the square when substitute Boylan caught it and found the net despite Stapleton’s best efforts.

English had a low percentage free from distance in additional time but his effort fell short and the game after regulation time finished 2-17 apiece.

It was a first half with little flow and plenty of spills. Doon struck seven wides and the upright on three occasions although 1-1 came off two of those deflections including Coleman’s 15th minute goal.

Na Piarsaigh had settled quicker with four of the first five points and they were all sent over by different players. Coleman and English with a free got Doon going although the margin was three by the time Coleman swooped for his goal.

A point attempt by Jack Ryan appeared to be tailing wide but caught enough of Dowling’s left-hand post to come back into play and Coleman touched the ball to the net.

There was a question of square ball but after consulting with his umpires referee Kieran Guina allowed the goal to stand and English followed it up with his first point from play to give Doon the lead.

English was electric in the middle of the field where he was doing as much spadework as finishing. Still, Na Piarsaigh were back ahead in the 24th minute as Ronan Lynch landed a long-range free.

A brace from English, the first from play and the second a free punishing a Mikey O’Brien overcarry, saw the advantage change hands once more. After Peter Casey was upended, Kevin Downes angled over a free in additional time to tie the game once up.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: K. Downes (0-6, frees); A. Breen (1-2); C. Boylan (1-1); P. Casey (0-4); R. Lynch (0-3, frees); W. Henn, M. Foley, W.O’Donoghue, K. Dempsey (1 free), D. Dempsey (0-2 each).

Scorers for Doon: A. English (0-10, 6 frees); D. Coleman, D. O’Donovan (0-1 sidelIne) (1-2 each); E. Stokes (0-2); P. Ryan, D. Coughlan (0-1 each).

NA PIARSAIGH: S. Dowling; J. Boylan (c), V. Harrington; R. Lynch; E. McEvoy, M. Casey, M. Foley; W. O’Donoghue, J.J. Carey; K. Downes, P. Casey, D. Dempsey; W. Henn, A. Breen, D. Lynch.

Subs for Na Piarsaigh: K. Dempsey for D. Lynch (h-t); C. Boylan for W. Henn (50); T. Grimes for M. Foley (54); J. Finn for K. Downes (e-t); C. King for J. Boylan (67); W. Henn for R. Lynch (72); W. Kearns for J.J. Carey (80).

DOON: D. Stapleton; M. O’Brien, T. Hayes, C. O’Donovan; J. Ryan; C. Thomas, B. Murphy, R. English; D. O’Donovan (c), A. English; D. Coughlan, E. Stokes, D. Coleman; P. Ryan, D. Maher.

Subs for Doon: A. O’Connell for R. English (40); G. Thomas for D. Coughlan (55); C. Ryan for D. Coleman (58); D. Coughlan for P. Ryan (e-t); D. Coleman for C. Thomas (64); E. Fitzgibbon for M. O’Brien (68); P. Ryan for D. Coleman (70+1).

Referee: K. Guina (Feohanagh/Castlemahon).