Kilmallock 4-20
Doon 2-16
John Keogh reports from TUS Gaelic Grounds
KILMALLOCK ARE INTO the Limerick SHC final following a comprehensive 4-20 to 2-16 win over Doon at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Tony Considine’s side led by six points at the break but four second-half goals helped seal an impressive victory.
The contest was an even one in the opening quarter with the sides level six times before Kilmallock turned the screw with efforts from David Woulfe and Houlihan seeing them 0-8 to 0-6 ahead at the first water break.
Oisin O’Reilly and O’Donnell added further points before Josh Ryan stopped the slide with a superb score.
Kilmallock continued to dominate the half with O’Reilly to the fore. A Graeme Mulcahy point from the right wing and a Houlihan free saw them 0-16 to 0-10 ahead at half time.
Adam English got the scoring going after the short whistle for Doon but O’Donnell’s low shot past Eoghan McNamara saw The Balbec eight clear.
Houlihan added a free and then a goal from a penalty moments later to put Kilmallock 2-17 to 0-11 to the good.
Adam English popped over another free for Doon and they were given a lifeline when Patrick Cummins fired their first goal after good work from Darragh O’Donovan and Richie English.
However, O’Reilly gave Kilmallock another lift with their third goal on 43 minutes that saw them 10 points to the good once more.
There was a twist in the tale when Richie English’s long delivery went all the way to the net but Kilmallock held on to reach their first final since 2017 with O’Reilly’s second goal being the cherry on top.
Scorers for Kilmallock: Oisin O’Reilly 2-4, Michéal Houlihan 1-7 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), Kevin O’Donnell 1-2, David Woulfe 0-3, Phillip O’Koughlin 0-2, Graeme Mulcahy and Robbie Hanley 0-1
Scorers for Doon: Adam English 0-7 (7f), Patrick Cummins and Richie English 1-2 each, Josh Ryan 0-3, Darragh O’Donovan and Pat Ryan 0-1 each
Kilmallock
1: Barry Hennessy
2: Liam English, 3: Mark O’Loughlin, 4: Dan Joy
5: Phillip O’Loughlin (captain), 6: Ciaran O’Connor, 7: Paudie O’Brien
8: Robbie Hanley, 9: Aaron Costello
10: Michéal Houlihan, 11: Oisin O’Reilly, 12: David Woulfe
13: Graeme Mulcahy, 14: Gavin O’Mahony, 15: Kevin O’Donnell
Subs
17: Conor Staunton for Woulfe (60)
25: Killian Hayes for O’Reilly (60)
Doon
1: Eoghan McNamara
2: Chris Thomas, 3: Tommy Hayes, 4: Padraic Ryan
5: Mikey O’Brien, 6: Darragh O’Donovan, 7: Richie English
8: Cian O’Donovan, 9: Eddie Stokes
10: Josh Ryan, 18: Patrick Cummins, 12: Adam English
13: Pat Ryan (captain), 14: Dean Coleman, 15: Jack Ryan
Subs
11: Cormac Ryan for Coleman (h-t)
17: Michéal Ryan for Cian O’Donovan (h-t)
22: Jack Cummins for Padraic Ryan (36)
20: Darragh Stapleton for Patrick Cummins (53)
19: Michael Barry for Thomas (59).
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Ballylanders).
