Na Piarsaigh 1-22
Patrickswell 4-12
NA PIARSAIGH ARE the Limerick Senior hurling champions for the third time, following a 1-22 to 4-12 win over Patrickswell at a sun-drenched Gaelic Grounds.
In front of a 3,655 crowd, Shane O’Neill’s side trailed by five points with just 15 minutes remaining.
The first 30 minutes saw Na Piarsaigh lead by five points after just 16 minutes when Kevin Downes rattled the net. Indeed, the light blues could have been further in front were it not for the heroics of former All-Star goal keeper Brian Murray in the Patrickswell net, who saved from both Downes and Adrian Breen in quick sucession.
As the first-half looked to be heading for a one-sided affair, Patrickswell sprung into life with goals from brothers Kevin and Thomas O’Brien, the first coming after Lar Considine’s point attempt had hit the upright before his fellow corner-forward Kevin O’Brien followed up to score.
That Patrickswell goal made it a one-score game. However, points from Kevin Ryan, Alan Dempsey and Kevin Downes of Na Piarsaigh, and one from Lar Considine of the ‘Well’ left the half-time score, Na Piarsaigh 1-12, Patrickswell 2-7.
Two penalties from Diarmuid Byrnes had Patrickswell leading by 4-10 to 1-14 after 15 minutes of the second-half, but Na Piarsaigh rallied with eight points to Patrickswell’s three.
The game was a story of Limerick senior hurling talent as Brian Murray kept goal at one end, Kevin Downes notched up 1-5 from play for the champions at the other.
The game did end in some controversy as the clock in the stadium did not show the full 60 minutes had been played [media watches showed under a minute of injury time was played].
Na Piarsaigh will now enter the Munster club championship where they will face Sixmilebridge of Clare.
Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: Kevin Downes 1-5, Shane Dowling 0-6 (0-4 frees), Kevin Ryan, Peter Casey 0-3 each, Alan Dempsey 0-2, Will O’Donoghue, David Dempsey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Patrickswell: Diarmuid Byrnes 2-3 (0-3 frees, 2-0 pens), Thomas O’Brien 1-1, Kevin O’Brien 1-0, Jack Kelleher (0-1 free), Lar Considine, Cian Lynch 0-2 each, Sean O’Brien, Aaron Gillane (0-1 each).
Na Piarsaigh
Podge Kennedy
Mike Casey
Kieran Breen
Kieran Kennedy
Mike Foley
Ronan Lynch
Cathal King
Alan Dempsey
Will O’Donoghue
David Dempsey
Kevin Downes
Adrian Breen
Peter Casey
Shane Dowling
Kevin Ryan
Subs
Niall Buckley for Kieran Breen (37)
David Breen for Adrian Breen (45)
Pat Gleeson for Kevin Ryan (52)
Patrickswell
Brian Murray
Kelvin Lynch
Barry Foley
James Carrig
Mark Carmody
Diarmuid Byrnes
Sean O’Brien
Nigel Foley
Cian Lynch
Aaron Gillane
Jack Kelleher
Andrew Carroll
Thomas O’Brien
Kevin O’Brien
Lar Considine
Subs
Timmy Sheehan for Andrew Carroll (52)
Peter Harty for Aaron Gillane (52)