Doon strike late to land County Senior Hurling League title with win over Kilmallock:

By John Keogh Limerick Leader Sport

DOON ARE Bon Secours Hospital County Senior Hurling League champions following a dramatic 3-19 to 2-19 win over Kilmallock in Bruff this Tuesday evening.

The east Limerick side only took the lead for the first time in the game when Kevin Maher bundled in the rebound after Barry Hennessy made a brilliant save from a Sean Moloney shot.

Points from Eddie Stokes and Dean Coleman then secured the three-point win. The sides will meet again in the first round in the Limerick SHC in early August.

Kilmallock made a fast start to the game with the first six scores of the game. Conor Hanley-Clarke sent over three points, while Sean Carroll and Kevin O’Donnell also hit the target.

Pierce Connery then fired in a goal for Fintan O’Connor’s side to put them into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead with 10 minutes of the game played.

Doon were soon back into the game, however, when Cormac Ryan placed a penalty into the bottom corner of the net after Paudie O’Brien had fouled Coleman.

The high quality nature of the game continued throughout the first half with both sides landing scores at will. Both centre forwards, Cormac Ryan and Hanley-Clarke were particularly impressive.
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Kilmallock were keeping Doon at arms length for most of the half but a well-taken goal by Coleman brought his side back into the game just before half time. That saw the score at 1-14 to 2-8 at the break.

Hanley-Clarke and Tommy Savage sent Kilmallock into a five-point advantage with the first two scores of the second half but Doon hit the next four to get back into the contest once again.

However, Kilmallock soon took control once more after a superb run from Robbie Hanley opened up the Doon defence and Robbie Egan delivered the finish after taking the pass from his centre back.

Doon were not to be derailed though and had Kilmallock’s lead back to two-points heading into the final few minutes, before Maher’s goal turned the game in their favour and sealed victory.

Scorers – Doon: Cormac Ryan 1-10 (1-0 pen, 0-7 frees), Dean Coleman 1-2, Kevin Maher 1-1, Jack Ryan 0-2, Diarmuid Crowe, Sean Moloney, Gareth Thomas and Eddie Stokes 0-1 each.

Scorers – Kilmallock: Conor Hanley-Clarke 0-8 (0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), Pierce Connery 1-2, Robbie Egan 1-0, Phelim O’Reilly 0-3, Kevin O’Donnell and Tommy Savage 0-2 each, Sean Carroll and Killian Hayes 0-1 each.

DOON: Tomas Lynch; Padraig Ryan, Tommy Hayes, Eoin Fitzgibbon; Diarmuid Crowe, Mikey O’Brien, Sean og Blackmore; Jack Ryan, John Hayes; Kevin Maher, Cormac Ryan, Gareth Thomas; Donal Coughlan, Dean Coleman, Shane O’Connell.

Subs: Sean Moloney for J Hayes (37 mins), Eddie Stokes for O’Connell (37 mins), Tadgh Whelan for Fitzgibbon (60 mins, inj), Darragh Stapleton for Maher (62 mins).

KILMALLOCK: Barry Hennessy; Dan Joy, Paudie O’Brien, Dylan O’Brien; Sean Carroll, Robbie Hanley, Paddy O’Loughlin; Killian Hayes, Phelim O’Reilly; Kevin O’Donnell, Conor Hanley-Clarke, Gavin O’Mahony; Tommy Savage, Robbie Egan, Pierce Connery.

Subs: Oisin Enright for Savage (45 mins), Conor Staunton for Connery (47 mins).

REFEREE: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).