Gaelic Games

Na Piarsaigh rack up the points to claim Limerick senior hurling title

Patrickswell scored four goals but Na Piarsaigh did enough to win out

Sun Oct 11 2015 - 18:19

Na Piarsaigh 1-22 Patrickswell 4-12

Goals do not always win matches as Patrickswell discovered to their cost in a superb Limerick hurling final at the end of which Na Piarsaigh won back the Daly Cup to atone for their final defeat twelve months ago.

Na Piarsaigh led by two points, 1-12 to 2-7 at halftime but in the opening five minutes of the second half Patrickswell had two goals, both from penalties and both scored by Diarmuid Byrnes. The second of the goals gave the Ciaran Carey managed Patrickswell the lead for the first time five minutes into the second half.

In between the goals Cathal King pointed for Na Piarsaigh who suffered a pre-match blow when David Breen had to withdraw due to injury.

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But they were able to bring in Limerick star Kevin Downes as a replacement after he missed the semi-final due to injury. And Downes gave a man of the match performance and finished with a total of 1-5. His first half goal was a scrambled effort but it made a huge difference.

Patrickswell will regret hitting fourteen wides, nine in the first half, and despite the quality of such as Cian Lynch, goalkeeper Brian Murray who made one superb save late on, the O’Brien brothers and Diarmuid Byrnes they were pipped thanks to a 45 yard free by Shane Dowling a minute from the end.

Dowling had a total of six points, four frees, with rising star, 18-year-old Peter Casey scoring three points, one of them the highlight of the game from way out near the sideline.

Ronan Lynch, Cathal King and Kevin Ryan shone for a Na Piarsaigh side who had eight different scorers.

The game was not without its controversial moments with na Piarsaigh claiming a second half penalty but Dowling had to settle for a pointed free from 21 yards.

Na Piarsaigh: P Kennedy; M Casey, K Breen, K Kennedy; M Foley, R Lynch, C King 0-1; A Dempsey 0-2, W O'Donoughue 0-1; d Dempsey 0-1, K Downes 1-5, S Dowling 0-6 (4f); P Casey 0-3, K Ryan 0-3, A Breen. Subs: N Buckley for K Breen (37), D Breen for A Breen (44), P Gleeson for Ryan (44).

Patrickswell: B Murray; K Lynch, B Foley, J Carrig; M Carmody, D Byrnes 2-3 (2 pen gls 3f), N Foley; S O'Brien 0-1, J Kelleher 0-2 (2f); A Gillane 0-1, C Lynch 0-2, A Carroll; T O'Brien 1-1, K O'Brien 1-0, L Considine 0-2.

Referee: M Sexton.