Ronan Lynch leads Na Piarsaigh to victory over Kilmallock in Limerick Senior Hurling Championship:
By Paul Shaughnessy Limerick Leader Sport
NA Piarsaigh produced a strong performance in Doon on Friday evening and secured their place into the semi-finals of the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship. The reigning county champions defeated Kilmallock 1-26 to 1-17.
Na Piarsaigh Ronan Lynch was tremendous for the full hour and Lynch finished with 0-13.
Na Piarsaigh raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead where Ronan Lynch and David Dempsey were on target to put the Caherdavin side into a three-point lead. Paddy O’Loughlin and Kevin O’Donnell landed long range scores to keep Kilmallock within touching distance.
Phelim O’Reilly and Conor Hanley Clarke reduced the gap to the minimium. After that, Tommy Grimes and Micheal Houlihan swapped scores. Na Piarsaigh led 0-6 to 0-5 on 17 minutes.
Limerick hurler Shane O’Brien played a pass into Phelim O’Reilly. It looked as if the Na Piarsaigh defence had did enough but Phelim O’Reilly was alert and he slotted ball past Shane Dowling to raise first green flag of the evening. Paddy O’Loughlin, Pierce Connery and Micheal Houlihan added scores to put Kilmallock into the lead for the first time.
The lively Will Henn was finding space in the middle third and Henn landed from range to brring Na Piarsaigh back into the game.
On 24 minutes, supporters were treated to a breathtaking team move when Shane Dowling played his puckout short to William O’Donoghue. O’Donoghue then played the sliotar down to Will Henn and Henn played a terrific pass to David Dempsey. Dempsey took on the Kilmallock defence and slotted the sliotar into the bottom corner of the net. The lively Dempsey added a point quickly after that to make it a level game for the first time. The sides were deadlocked at 1-8 apiece.
Both teams went on to score 0-3 for the remainder of the first half. Micheal Houlihan and Ronan Lynch were proving to be crucial from the placed ball as the sides went in level 1-11 to 1-11 at the break.
After the interval, the sides were level for the 8th time on 38 minutes. Limerick inter-county teammates Conor Boylan and Shane O’Brien had got their names on the scoresheet for the first time in the opening eight minutes of the second half to make it 1-14 to 1-14.
In the remaining 22 minutes of the second half , the victors took conplete control of the contest where they outscored their opponents 0-12 to 0-3. Ronan Lynch and Conor Boylan were to the forefront in that period where they scored 0-9 between them.
Limerick hurling supporters will be delighted to see Adrian Breen make his return from a long term knee injury on Friday evening. Breen was introuduced on 44 minutes and immediately he made impact. Breen nailed 0-2 off the bench in 16 minutes.
Kilmallock could only manage to get 0-1 from play in that period courtesy of an effort from Shane O’Brien. Micheal Houlihan made no mistake from 0-2 placed ball.
O’Neill’s charges finished strongly to defeat Kilmallock by nine points. Kilmallock will look to get back things on track against Patrickswell in the final round of the SHC. Na Piarsaigh will look to make four wins out of five against Mungret St Paul’s.
SCORERS:
NA PIARSAIGH: Ronan Lynch (0-13, 0-8 frees, 0-1 sideline, 0-1 65), Conor Boylan 0-5, David Dempsey 1-2, Tommy Grimes 0-2 and Tommy Grimes 0-2 each, Will Henn and Mike Foley 0-1 each.
KILMALLOCK: Micheal Houlihan (0-8 frees), Phelim O’Reilly 1-1, Paddy O’Loughlin (0-2, 0-1 free), Pierce Connery 0-2, Shane O’Brien 0-2, Conor Hanley Clarke and Kevin O’Donnell 0-1 each
NA PIARSAIGH: Shane Dowling, Gearoid Synnott, Mike Casey (Captain), Cathal King, Vince Harrington, William O’Donoghue, Mike Foley, Tommy Grimes, Wayne Kearns, JJ Carey, Conor Boylan, Ronan Lynch, Kevin Downes, David Dempsey, Will Henn.
SUBS: Adrian Breen for D Lynch (44), Gearoid Synnott for King (51), Wayne Kearns for Grimes (53), Sean Long for Carey (57), James Finn for Downes (61).
REFEREE: John O’Halloran (Bruree)