Doon edge past Kilmallock in opening round of Limerick Senior Hurling Championship:

By Paul O Shaughnessy Limerick Leader Sport

Doon defeated Kilmallock 3-16 to 2-20 in the opening round of the Limerick SHC at TUS Grounds on Thursday evening.

It was a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout the 60 minutes but in the end Doon just did enough to hang on for a one point victory.

Doon and Kilmallock created a huge amount of interest for their opening round clash at the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Thursday evening with nine Limerick senior hurling players lining out for their clubs.

There was a certain degree of interest on the sideline with Waterford senior hurling selector Peter Queally in charge of Kilmallock and former Waterford senior hurling manager Derek McGrath in charge of Doon.

Both sides feel short at the Limerick SHC semi-final stage last year.

Doon were quickest out of the blocks and raced into 0-2 lead after three minutes with Gareth Thomas and Adam English off the mark.

On 11 minutes Doon had kept their two point lead with two Adam English frees and a neat point from Pat Ryan keeping McGrath’s side in the lead. Phelim O’Reilly and Paddy O’Loughlin kept Kilmallock within touching distance.

Kilmallock replied after that with Oisin O’Reilly landing a score from a difficult angle but they were paying the price for their shooting hitting five wides early on in the first half.
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Brother of Limerick senior hurler Darragh O’Donovan, Cian O’Donovan drove forward from the half back line to put last years county semi-finalists 0-6 to 0-3 ahead.

On 17 minutes the impressive Adam English played a spectacular pass into Darragh Stapleton and Stapleton slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the Kilmallock net.

Queally’s side regrouped quickly with Phelim O’Reilly and Graeme Mulcahy on target to leave four points between the sides.

Doon began to take control of the game and on 24 minutes they led 1-10 to 0-6 with Adam English, Pat Ryan and Darragh Stapleton all landing crucial scores.

Michael Houlihan, Paddy O’Loughlin and Oisin O’Reilly brought Kilmallock right back into the contest before the break. Former Limerick hurler Paddy O’Loughlin was superb in the opening period landing three long range frees.

Gareth Thomas put Doon four points ahead right before half time and Doon led 1-11 to 0-10 at the break. Amazingly the victors hit ten wides in the opening half.

A free from Micheal Houlihan and soon after that Kilmallock made a tactical switch moving Shane O’Brien into the full forward line and O’Brien won the ball on the edge of the square and smashed the ball into the back of the net to have the sides level for the first time.

Doon landed the next five points in an eight minute period through two Adam English placed balls, Donal Coughlan and Cian O’Donovan on two occasions to have them leading 1-16 to 1-11 on 43 minutes.

English pushed their lead out out to six points from another placed three minutes later.

Kilmallock ended their scoring drought on 48 minutes where they failed to score for 14 minutes but the lively Shane O’Brien made it a five point game with 12 minutes remaining.

Limerick senior hurler Richie English drove forward to send over an inspirational score tp have Doon leading 1-18 to 1-12.

On 55 minutes a long range puckout found Phelim O’Reilly and he raised the second green flag of the day for Kilmallock to gave them a lifeline. Michael Houlihan quickly added a free to make 2-14 to 1-19.

Doon wing back Chris Thomas drove forward and brillantly finished the ball into the back of the net to give Doon some breathing space.

Kerry forward Phelim O’Reilly started to give Kilmallock fans more hope when he pulled on the sliotar along the ground and his shot ended up in the back of the net and they trailed 3-14 to 2-19.

The accurate Adam English hit the insurance score from a placed ball.

The 2021 county champions battled back once again courtesy of inspirational scores through Paddy O’Loughlin and Aaron Costtello but it just to late in the end as Doon hung on for a narrow one point victory.

Doon are back out in action in round two of the Limerick SHC against Patrickswell in Kilmallock on Friday August 9 at 7pm. Kilmallock will look to get things back on track against Mungret St Paul’s at the same time in Bruff.

SCORERS:
DOON: Adam English (0-10, 0-9 frees), Cian O’Donovan (0-3), Darragh Stapleton 1-1, Chris Thomas 1-0, Pat Ryan and Gareth Thomas 0-2 each, Donal Coughlan and Richie English 0-1 each.

KILMALLOCK: Phelim O’Reilly 2-2, Michael Houlihan (0-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65,) Paddy O’Loughlin (0-4, 0-4 frees),Shane O’Brien 1-1, Oisin O’Reilly 0-2, Aaron Costello and Graeme Mulcahy 0-1 each.

DOON: Tomas Lynch, Tommy Hayes, Eoin Fitzgibbon, Richie English, Cian O’Donovan, Jack Ryan, Chris Thomas, Darragh O’Donovan (Captain), Barry Murphy, Pat Ryan, Adam English, Eddie Stokes, Gareth Thomas, Darragh Stapleton, Donal Coughlan.
SUBS: Kevin Maher for Thomas (47 minutes).

KILMALLOCK: Barry Hennessy, Cillian Hayes, Benni Burke, Liam English, Paddy O’Loughlin, Shane O’Brien, Aaron Costello, Kevin O’Donnell, Conor Staunton, Pierce Connery, Phelim O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly, Graeme Mulcahy, Michael Houlihan, David Woulfe.
SUBS: Gavin O’Mahony for Connery (43 minutes).

REFEREE: John O’Halloran (Bruree).