Na Piarsaigh out-last Doon to reclaim title in Limerick

Two periods of extra-time were required but Na Piarsaigh ultimately showed their class.

Mon, 20 Oct, 2025 - 07:12

John Fogarty

NA PIARSAIGH 2-25 DOON 2-18 after extra-time

At this stage, the so-called nouveau riche of Limerick hurling are turning into old money.

A ninth senior title in 14 years – a sixth in the last 10 – required two additional periods in TUS Gaelic Grounds but Na Piarsaigh were by far the superior team in extra-time as they outscored defending champions Doon eight points to one.

But for Na Piarsaigh’s wealth of auxiliary reinforcements, in particular being able to call on former Limerick panellist Conor Boylan from the bench, Doon could well have been on their way to defending that first senior title annexed last season.

Diarmuid O’Donovan had swooped for a gorgeous goal in the 57th minute to put Doon two points up and Eddie Stokes arrowed over a follow-up score only for Boylan to raise his mitt to a Ronan Lynch delivery and turn to send the sliotar to the net.

Doon will rue a wide count of 17 wides in normal time but ultimately they ran out of gas here. Of Na Piarsaigh’s six unanswered points in the first half of extra-time, half of them were scored by substitutes. Both Keith Dempsey and 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. O’Donovan spanked a rasper of a free but Dowling prevented it going any further as he had stopped Stokes four minutes into the opening additional period.

Na Piarsaigh veteran Cathal King was also introduced as he claimed his ninth senior county medal and marked it with a couple of timely interventions. “He did get a ridiculous yellow card as well so we had to tell him to calm down a small bit,” smiled Na Piarsaigh manager Shane O’Neill.

“Cathal is the beating heart of this whole group since 2011, even earlier. He's been absolutely immense. He was injured for most of the group stages but his experience and composure showed.”

O’Donovan’s piece of wizardry had the hallmarks of a match-winning score for Doon. They had trailed for most of the half and were chasing after Adrian Breen’s shot dribbled into the net when 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 realise the goal opening with less than two minutes of normal time remaining. Stokes had a free won but advantage was allowed, he passed outside to the advancing O’Donovan who didn’t take the ball to hand a second time, his feign fooling the Na Piarsaigh defender and his shot foiled Shane Dowling.

After a poor distribution from Dowling, Stokes’s second point put Doon three up but the drama continued when Boylan matched O’Donovan’s goal. 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 had been 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 Dean Coleman poached 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 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 more, 0-10 to 1-7.

Casey was subdued compared to the superb form he had shown in earlier rounds, although an early hit by Richie English, which earned his old Limerick colleague a yellow card, may have impacted him. Still, he was on hand to clip over a couple of additional time points.

He will be needed when Ballygunner come to town on November 2 when Na Piarsaigh again have a point to prove after losing their previous Munster meeting two years ago.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: K. Downes (0-6, frees); A. Breen (1-2); C. Boylan (1-1); P. Casey, R. Lynch (frees) (0-3 each); 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).