Na Piarsaigh GAA Club Notes:
Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter-Final:
Na Piarsaigh 2-20 Cappamore 1-15
Our intermediate hurlers kept the positive vibes going on Sunday afternoon following our hugely successful run earlier in the day. The lads put in their best performance yet in the championship, defeating Cappamore by 8 points and qualifying for this year’s intermediate county semi-final.
It was point for point in the opening quarter with 5 different Na Piarsaigh men getting on the scoresheet. Marcus Hogan looked lively early on, getting our opening score. Evan Sweeney added our second with Pa following shortly after. Dean McLoughlin got the point of the half, gathering the ball around his own ‘65 and utilising the breeze to his advantage. We were 2-points up with about 7 to play in the first when a long delivery into our forwards went over the head of Marcus and his man. The Cappamore defender along with most spectators thought it was dribbling wide, but Marcus had other ideas. He sprinted past his man, kept the ball in play while smartly rising and deceiving his marker. He made his way towards goal, striking low to the net. Brosie struck a point soon after before Cappamore raised a green flag of their own. There wasn’t much Darragh could do for this one having pulled off an excellent save earlier in the game. Cappamore closed out the half with a couple of frees to change the complexion at the break. Half-time score: Na Piarsaigh 1-12 Cappamore 1-09.
We started the second half brightly, Pa landing a free followed by a point from Pádraig Heaney. A score that could have ended up in the back of the net, Paudie whipping on a ball for it to just glance over the crossbar. We gained possession again from the resultant puck-out. Sweeney found Eoin Brosnan on the edge of the square with a darting pass. Brosie wasn’t taking any chances with his attempt on goal, blasting the ball to the net. Our backs limited Cappamore to a single point from play in the second period, replicating last week’s workmanlike display in our win over Knockainey. Evan Gilvary returned to form with a solid display at midfield, making a reliable pairing with young Brosie in the first half and Jack McCarthy in the second. A quiet opening half for Jack, he came into his own in the second, winning multiple rucks along with a handful of frees. Kevin Daly would close out the game with a nicely taken point following good work from Kieran Daly. Kevin ended the game with 2 points while his brother Mark was third male home in the 5km race earlier in the day. Neither received a cash prize for their exploits.
The result sees us through to a semi-final against Murroe Boher, with the fixture still to be confirmed. It’s provisionally down to be played the same weekend as the senior semi-final in 2 weeks time. Brilliant to be competing in not one, but 2 adult county semi-finals, and still training into October.
Team: Darragh Jordan, Adam Fitzsimons, Mark O’Connor, Conor Richardson, John O’Keeffe, Gordon Brown, Dean McLoughlin (0-01), Evan Gilvary, Eoin Brosnan (1-03), Kevin Daly (0-02), Pa O’Neill (0-08, 0-06f), Jack McCarthy, Marcus Hogan (1-03), Pádraig Heaney (0-01), Evan Sweeney (0-02). Subs Ronan Benson, Kieran Daly, Paul McDonogh, Pat Gleeson & Josh Sheehan.
Junior B City Championship Semi-final
Na Piarsaigh 3-17 Monaleen 1-13
Our Junior B hurlers scored a brilliant win in the City Semi-final on Monday evening, beating Monaleen under lights in St. Patricks.
Podge Kennedy deputised in goals as our regular goalie Darragh Jordan was called up to intermediate duty on Sunday. Podge pulled off a point blank save in the first half to deny Monaleen an almost certain goal. He came up trumps again in the second period landing 3 long range frees. It’s a wonder he was not a regular long range free taker with the seniors in all his years lining out at number one. He did score one long range point in senior championship but this was due to Ronan Lynch’s absence.
Our full back line performed diligently throughout with Steven Mitchell and Cian Brosnan both keeping their men under wraps. An early yellow card for Kevin McNamara didn’t prevent him from pulling off some key blocks and tackles along with a couple of crucial interceptions in the first half. Cackz mopped up endless ball at centre back and was well supported by Tadhg Mullane on the left and Christy O’Hagan on the right.
The winning of the game was the workrate of our midfield partnership of Donie Ó Conaill and Sam Jordan, with Donie giving a man of the match performance, scoring 1-03 from play. While burying a great goal in the opening minutes, his score of the day came halfway through the second half. Taking a pass from Sam, and darting over from inside our opposition’s 45. Donie managed to make his way back to our half back line and win the subsequent puck-out to get us on a positive footing again.
Our half forward line of Josh O’Halloran, Gordon Leonard and James Naughton combined for a score of 1-05 for the day. James, only recently back from a 12-month hiatus in France, grabbed his goal in the second half, following a point in the first. The time away did him well as he was in flying form, assisting for multiple scores also. Gordon provided a physical presence at 11, landing 3 points, 2 from play and forcing the centre back into a marking job. Man marking not a task many centre backs are up for. Josh on the wing gave a colossal display in the first, landing a point and unlucky not to snatch a goal, the ball grazing the left hand post.
Ben O’Regan registered 2 frees in the opening and was unlucky to not to get a 3-pointer, being brilliantly blocked down by the Monaleen defender as he bore down on goal. Ger and John O’Tiarnaigh caused absolute havoc for our opposition full back line. While John didn’t get on the scoresheet, he would set up multiple scores as well as a goal, with Ger getting 2 well taken points.
Dillon Skehan came on at the break to land 1-02, and add to the woes of the Monaleen backs, while Brian Hartnett was also introduced and provided a steadying presence in the half forward line. Sean Harrington came in with 10 to play, followed by Brian Connolly and Mike Duggan. All 3 made a positive impact in what was an excellent team performance by Na Piarsaigh.
The win marks an interesting first for Na Piarsaigh where we had 4 adult teams competing in a championship weekend, and all 4 teams victorious. Our Junior C’s beat Patrickswell on Friday, with our Seniors beating the Well again on Saturday. Our intermediates qualified for the quarter final by defeating Knockainey on Sunday and a win for the Junior B’s on Monday. A good showing for all concerned.
The City final pits us against Ballybrown on Saturday evening at 5pm in Rathbane. Ballybrown were victorious in our group stage clash earlier in the championship but our lads have shown a steady improvement in recent weeks. We’ll give it a good rattle. Team Podge Kennedy(0-03f), Steven Mitchell, Kevin McNamara, Cian Brosnan, Christy O’Hagan, Cathal McMullen, Tadhg Mullane, Donie Ó Conaill (1-03), Sam Jordan, Josh O’Halloran (0-01), Gordon Leonard (0-03, 0-01f), James Naughton (1-01), Ben O’Regan (0-02f), John O’Tiarnaigh, Ger O’Tiarnaigh (0-02). Subs Dillon Skehan (1-02) (HT), Brian Hartnett (HT), Sean Harrington, Brian Óg Connolly & Mike Duggan.