Na Piarsaigh claim the Bon Secours Hospital County Senior Hurling League title:

By Siadbh Redmond Limerick Leader Sport

NA PIARSAIGH have added the Bon Secours Hospital County Senior Hurling League title to their sliverware cabinet after beating Kilmallock in Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale this Wednesday evening on a scoreline of 1-20 to 0-13.

A second-half goal from Kevin Daly was the making of Na Piarsaigh as Kilmallock struggled to find a response to the city sides accurate shooting. This is Na Piarsaigh’s first league title win since the Adare victory in 2022.

Kilmallock enjoyed the strong breeze in the first-half but it was Na Piarsaigh that shot the first score through Dylan Lynch after a minute of play.

Conor Staunton, who started the game for Kilmallock, took over the free duties for his side, slotting over four frees throughout the first-half, the first of which came after two minutes to level the game.

With the advantage of the wind Kilmallock kicked on scoring two quick points from play from Conor Staunton and Tom Savage. It took 12 long minutes for the city side to register their next score through a Ronan Lynch free as both sides struggled with accuracy.

Lynch found his range after his first score following up with a fabulous long-range effort off his weak side to leave it 0-4 to 0-3 in Kilmallock’s favour.

The game could have taken a totally different form as the ball was placed over the head of the Na Piarsaigh defenders finding a free Oisin Enright for Kilmallock after 15 minutes who misjudged his shot and drove the sliothar right and wide, the sides onlu real goal chance of the match.

Scores went back and fourth for a period with both sides registering fine points but relying heavily on frees with the sides remaining level at the half-time break 0-8 a piece, the wind playing a serious factor as the two teams struggled with a heavy wide count.
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Na Piarsaigh came out the more refreshed side after the half-time break scoring three quick points from John Fitzgerald, Tommy Grimes and Wayne Kearns before Kilmallock registered their first score of the second-half through another Conor Staunton free after 38 minutes.

A missed pass found Na Piarsaigh substitute Kevin Daly right in front of the Kilmallock goal and with one strong swing of the hurler he scored the only goal of the game putting them 1-11 to 0-9 ahead.

This goal drove the Caherdavin side forward as they went into cruise control from the 45 minutes onwards. Scores came easily to them in the closing minutes of the game as Kilmallock struggled to get any foot hold after the goal.

Staunton kept the score board ticking over for Kilmallock through his four frees but it was the Na Piarsaigh players that lit up with seven scores from play in the last ten minutes of the game.

The city team were the deserving winners of the Bon Secours Hospital County Senior Hurling League title, boasting a total of ten different players on the scoreboard, winning on a scoreline of 1-20 to 0-13.

SCORERS NA PIARSAIGH: Ronan Lynch 0-5 (0-4 frees), Kevin Daly 1-0, Dylan Lynch 0-3, John Fitzgerald 0-3, JJ Carey 0-2, Pat Gleeson 0-2, Tommy Grimes, Wayne Kearns, Marcus Hogan andEmmet McEvoy 0-1 each. KILMALLOCK: Conor Staunton 0-9 (0-8 frees), Tom Savage 0-2, Kevin O’Donnell and Pierce Connery 0-1 each.

NA PIARSAIGH: Evan Condon, Mark O’Connor, Gearoid Synnott, Cathal King, Vince Harrington, Emmet McEvoy, Mike Foley (C), Tommy Grimes, John Fitzgerald, Wayne Kearns, JJ Carey, Ronan Lynch, Kevin Downes, Dylan Lynch, Kevin Daly, Marcus Hogan.

SUBS: Pa O’Neill for K Downes (40 minutes), James O’Brien for K Daly (48 minutes), Alan Dempsey for M O’Connor (52 minutes)

KILMALLOCK: Barry Hennessy, Darragh Cronin, Dan Joy, Benni Burke, Sean Carroll, Robbie Hanley, Kevin O’Donnell, Killian Hayes, Phelim O’Rielly, Pierce Connery, Gavin O’Mahony, Tom Savage, Conor Staunton, Robbie Egan, Oisin Enright.

SUBS: Clem McAuliffe for O Enright (Half-Time), Paudie O’Connor for P O’Rielly (44 minutes), TJ Hanley for G O’Mahony (50 minutes), Conal Houlihan for B Burke (55 minutes)

REFEREE: Tom Mc Glinchey