Na Piarsaigh maintain unbeaten run with victory over Ahane in senior hurling championship:
By Siadbh Redmond Limerick Leader Sport
NA PIARSAIGH have maintained their unbeaten run in group one of the Bons Secours Hospital County Senior Hurling Championship after a 1-22 to 1-17 victory over Ahane in Caherconlish this evening.
Ronan Lynch was impressive for is side slotting over seven points, six of which from frees with Na Piarsaigh’s forwards coming alive in the second-half to close out the game and give them their second win of the championship after an opening round victory over Patrickswell. Ahane’s Tom Morrissey was once again foot perfect in his free taking keeping his team in the game for large portions of the encounter.
This was Ahane’s first loss of the championship after a narrow one-point victory over Mungret St Paul’s last weekend. The senior hurling championship now takes a break for two weekends.
It was Ahane that began the scoring with experienced forward, Gary Brennan, who had swapped roles with Tom Morrissey, leaving Brennan on the win for their first point. Ahane looked in control of the match in the opening minutes with two back-to-back scores from two Tom Morrissey frees and an two incredible shots from Ronan Fox one on the half-way line and another after regaining possession to give them a 0-5 lead after five minutes.
Na Piarsaigh finally kicked into gear with their first score of the game coming from Will Henn after six minutes. Ahane one again pushed on from their early opening points with another Tom Morrissey free, closely followed by Na Piarsaigh young gun Dylan Lynch’s effort to leave it 0-6 to 0-3.
The city club were caught watching the ball as Ahane ran in on attack with a lovely pass from Gary Brennan finding William Brennan, who made no mistake with the shot, to give them their only goal of the game.
Na Piarsaigh were not stunned by the goal though and continued to slot over points from Dylan Lynch and Ronan Lynch before full-forward David Dempsey went on a charging run from the 45-yard line straight in on goal sending a bullet of a shot off to leave it Ahane ahead by only one-point, 1-6 to 1-5 after 21 minutes.
This goal set the city team’s forwards alive with seven points coming in the last ten minutes of the half. Tom Morrissey continued to slot over frees for Ahane but it was the Caherdavin side that lead at half-time 1-12 to 1-8.
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Na Piarsaigh started the second-half off at a blistering pace with three quick points from Conor Boylan, Ronan Lynch and Tommy Grimes putting them 1-15 ahead. Yet again Tom Morrissey was foot perfect taking his frees slotting over a further three to keep Ahane in the game.
Ahane came crashing back into the game as they seemed determined to not let this game slip out of their hands with a quick score from William Brennan, followed by two more Morrissey frees leaving it 1-18 to 1-14 in Na Piarsaigh’s favour.
Despite this come back the city team looked well in control on the stroke of the 50 minute mark as their half-back line of Tommy Grimes and Mike Foley put their names on the score board to leave them comfortably ahead in the closing minutes.
Na Piarsaigh goalie Shane Dowling stepped up to take a free from within his own half with substitute John Fitzgerald closing out the scoring to give them two wins from two in the championship, 1-22 to Ahane’s 1-17.
SCORERS NA PIARSAIGH: Ronan Lynch 0-7 (0-6 frees), Will Henn 0-4, David Dempsey 1-0, Mike Foley 0-3, Dylan Lynch 0-2, Conor Boylan 0-2,Tommy Grimes 0-2, Shane Dowling 0-1 (0-1 free), John Fitzgerald 0-1
AHANE: Tom Morrissey 0-12 (0-10 frees), William Brennan 1-1, Ronan Fox 0-2, Daniel Minihan, Gary Brennan 0-1 each.
NA PIARSAIGH: Shane Dowling, Cathal King, Mike Casey (C), Gearoid Synnott, Vince Harrington, Mike Foley, Tommy Grimes, William O’Donoghue, Wayne Kearns, JJ Carey, Conor Boylan, Dylan Lynch, Ronan Lynch, David Dempsey, Will Henn.
SUBS: John Fitzgerald for W Kearns (50 minutes), Keith Dempsey for W Henn (52 minutes), Jerome Boylan for V Harrington (56 minutes), Sean Long for T Grimes (58 minutes)
AHANE: Cathal Ryan, Evan O’Leary, Dan Morrissey, Padraig Hartnett, Mark Hickey, Ciaran Barry (C), Daniel Minihan, Gavin Rowsome, Conor Heffernan, Jack Butler, Ronan Fox, Gary Brennan, Craig O’Connell, Tom Morrissey, William Brennan
SUBS: Stephen Power for G Rowsome (27 minutes), Cathal O’Mara for C O’Connell (Half-Time), Conor Bickford for M Hickey (45 minutes), Will McCormack for W Brennan (50 minutes)
REFEREE: John O’ Halloran