Limerick SHC Final: Kilmallock dethrone Na Piarsaigh

Whitebox Property Developments Ltd Limerick senior hurling final

Kilmallock 3-19 Na Piarsaigh 1-22

By Tom Clancy at TUS Gaelic Grounds

Glory for Kilmallock. A thirteenth Limerick title, as they wrestled the Daly Cup from champions Na Piarsaigh.

Second half goals from Shane O’Brien, Oisin O’Reilly and captain Graeme Mulcahy saw them prevail in a game that got better with each passing minute.

They’ve been dominated by their city peers for many years now, but two victories, one in the opening round, and the second here, see them back in the winners enclosure.

The City side were much quicker to settle. They hit the first five white flags, with Conor Boylan setting the early pace with a quickfire brace. Peter Casey sniped to score from close range with both Keith Dempsey and Ronan Lynch profiting off frees.

Eventually, Shane O’Brien was given some service and immediately pointed before he won a free for their third. In between came a long-range score from Killian Hayes.

Boylan returned to score from a difficult angle to ensure a four-point first quarter advantage, 0-7 to 0-3.

Pierce Connery, with his second free, and then Graeme Mulcahy continued the resurgence from the south Limerick side – Mulcahy captaining his club in a free role in the half-back line.

Phelim O’Reilly thundered into the contest with two points in seventy seconds, and they would level with a third on the trot as keeper Conor Hanley Clarke pointed a free from his own 65.

Trading scores once again, the Balbec grabbed the lead for the first time, on 29 minutes when Pierce Connery converted a free, after good work by Gearoid Enright and Jackie Dwane.

The Kilmallock free taker, who played in goals for Limerick’s U20s this year, put two between them, with Hanley Clarke extending that to three with another huge strike from his own half

By the short whistle, James Hickey’s men led 0-12 to 0-9, as tempers boiled over. A plethora of management and players got involved before referee sent the sides to their respective dressing rooms.

Casey pointed off the throw-in but the next play saw the games first goal from O’Brien. He raced clear of the cover, kicked the sliotar ahead of him, regathered and blasted across goal into the top corner.

Casey and Keith Dempey soon registered points at the other end but by the 40th minute, Na Piarsaigh were still adrift, 1-15 to 0-14, as Casey registered his fifth.

There was huge energy from the Kilmallock support and also from the sideline, as they looked to regain the crown, last won in 2021.

Kilmallock continued to lead thanks to a superb Michaél Houlihan score, but Na Piarsaigh would soon lead, if only briefly.

William O’Donoghue intercepted a puckout, raced through, dummied a handpass and drilled to the corner – 1-19 to 1-17. However, the lead was swapped from the very next play.

Phelim O’Reilly did the spade work, playing with advantage, he centred to brother Oisin, who made no mistake when pulling to the net.

Goals appeared the order of the day, but Hanley Clarke denied Casey, with Lynch content when converting his second 65.

With just two to play, Pierce Connery’s free was all that separated the sides. Into injury time, a superb score from Shane O’Brien, created by Mulcahy and Houlihan, put two between them, only for Will Henn to cut it immediately.

Then, a mishit from Mulcahy carried all the way to the net, with Oisin O’Reilly contesting the dropping ball.

They held on, winning by three, to take a thirteenth title. Ballygunner to come, but for now, it is celebration time for deserving winners, who maintained a 100% winning record.

Scorers for Kilmallock: Pierce Connery 0-8 (0-8 frees); Shane O’Brien 1-2; Oisin O’Reilly 1-0; . Graeme Mulcahy 1-1; Conor Hanley-Clarke (0-2 frees), Phelim O’Reilly 0-2 each; Killian Hayes, Mark O’Loughlin, Steven Quirke, Micheál Houlihan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: Peter Casey, Ronan Lynch (0-3 frees, 0-2 65s) 0-5 each; Conor Boylan, Keith Dempsey (0-3 frees), Will Henn (0-3 frees) 0-3 each; William O’Donoghue 1-0; Mike Foley 0-2, David Dempsey 0-1 each.

Kilmallock: Conor Hanley-Clarke; Killian Hayes, Robbie Egan, Jackie Dwane; Mark O’Loughlin, Ciaran O’Connor, Robbie Hanley; Michaél Houlihan, Steven Quirke; Graeme Mulcahy, Shane O’Brien, Pierce Connery; Phelim O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly, Gearoid Enright. Subs: Conor Staunton for Quirke (46); Paudie O’Brien for Enright (55) Kevin O’Donnell for O’Loughlin (59).

Na Piarsaigh: Shane Dowling; Jerome Boylan (Capt), Vince Harrington, Emmet McEvoy; Ronan Lynch, Mike Casey, Mike Foley; William O’Donoghue, James Finn; Keith Dempsey, Peter Casey, David Dempsey; Kevin Downes, JJ Carey, Conor Boylan. Subs: Will Henn for Downes (39); John Fitzgerald for K Dempsey (46); Adrian Breen for Carey (52); Tommy Grimes for Finn (59).

Referee: John O’Halloran (Bruree).