Na Piarsaigh 3-23 Kilmallock 2-15
Star-laden Na Piarsaigh captured their sixth Limerick SHC title in ten years when two first-half goals from Adrian Breen and a later second-half goal from Daithi Dempsey snatched victory and dethroned outgoing champions Kilmallock in an entertaining final at TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Na Piarsaigh's win now puts the Caherdavin men level with South Liberties and the now defunct Young Irelands with seven senior titles.
In what was a meeting of the two giants of Limerick hurling over the past decade, the latest battle between Na Piarsaign and Kilmallock finished 3-23 to 2-15 in favour of Na Piarsaigh. Between them they have now won 10 of the last twelve Limerick SHC titles.
That extra sprinkling of experience was decisive either side of half time with Na Piarsaigh, in their eighth final in 10 years, extending their seven-point half-time lead to 11 by the final whistle.
Goalscorer and man of the match Breen top-scored for the winners with 2-03 while chief marksman Kevin Downes and Peter Casey impressed with seven points each. Limerick star Graeme Mulcahy and free taker Micheal Houlihan topped the point scoring charts with four each for Kilmallock.
Na Piarsaigh led at 2-13 to 0-12 by the break, Breen’s clinical sixth minute strike set Kieran Bermingham’s charges on their way after both sides had been level on two separate occasions in the early stages. Na Piarsaigh led from the sixth minute until the final whistle.
Na Piarsaigh were one-point winners when the sides met in the group stages in August. It was the third time both clubs have met in the senior decider.
They have split the past two meetings, Kilmallock dethroning the defending champions in 2014 before Na Piarsaigh gained their revenge in 2017.
With no fewer than 15 All-Ireland winners between the sides, it was a sign of the quality on show that the first wide of the game wasn’t until the 13th minute.
Kilmallock ended with nine wides, while Na Piarsaigh finished the game with just five wides.
The Caherdavin men had led by five points - 1-10 to 0-08 - with five minutes to go to half time, but two quick-fire Kilmallock scores from Graeme Mulcahy and Robbie Hanley, the latter a superb effort from deep, narrowed the deficit to three.
Both sides exchanged points before Na Piarsaigh’s second goal came with the last puck of the opening 30 minutes – Breen rounded Aaron Costello, after rising high to collect a mishit Peter Casey shot, before blasting the ball past Barry Hennessy to put seven between the two sides at the break.
Midway through the second half, Na Piarsaigh had extended their lead to 10 points - 2-19 to 0-15 – with Peter Casey starring for the city men with four points from play in the third quarter.
Three late goals, two from Kilmallock and one for Na Piarsaigh finished off an enthralling game on the Ennis Road.
Substitutes Connor Hanley Clarke and Killian Hayes scored late consolation goals before Daithi Dempsey raised the green flag to secure Na Piarsaigh’s impressive 11-point win – 3-23 to 2-15 in favour of the Caherdavin side.
Na Piarsaigh will now face the winners of Tipperary champions Kilruane MacDonaghs and Waterford champions Ballygunner in three weeks’ time, on 20 November in the Munster Club Hurling semi-final.
Na Piarsaigh: Evan Condon; Seán Long, Mike Casey, Cathal King; Mike Foley (0-01), Emmet McEvoy, Ronan Lynch (0-02, two frees); William O'Donoughue (capt.), Keith Dempsey (0-01); Kevin Downes (0-07, six frees), Peter Casey (0-07), Daithi Dempsey (1-01); William Henn (0-01), Conor Boylan, Adrian Breen (2-03)
Subs: Evan Gilvarry for Keith Dempsey (56), Gearoid Synnott for King (59), Thomas Grimes for Lynch (61)
Kilmallock: Barry Hennessy; Mark O’Loughlin, Aaron Costello, Dan Joy; Paudie O’Brien (0-01); Gavin O’Mahony, Paddy Loughlin (0-01); Robbie Hanley, (0-02) Philip O’Loughlin; Phelim O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly (capt.), Micheal Houlihan (0-4, 0-4f); Shane O’Brien, Graeme Mulcahy (0-04), David Woulfe (0-02)
Subs: Kevin O’Donnell for Philip O’Loughlin (37), Robbie Egan for Houlihan (42), Conor Hanley Clarke (1-01) for Woulfe (42), Killian Hayes (1-0) for Phelim O’Reilly (59)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Ballylanders)
