Early goals propel Fr Casey's to Limerick senior football championship win over Na Piarsaigh

Fr Casey's defeated Na Piarsaigh 3-12 to 1-6 in the Limerick SFC quarter-final on Saturday afternoon at Rathkeale GAA club. Caseys' victory never looked in doubt at any stage and the Abbeyfeale side now look like real contenders to win the Limerick SFC title. 

Na Piarsaigh struggled to compete with the victors for long periods. 

After eight minutes, Fr Casey's raced into a 0-2 lead when David Ward and Adrian Enright split the post from close range. 

Na Piarsaigh were doing enough to stay in contest, Michael Lynch's side played the ball inside to sharpshooter Dylan Cronin. Cronin's shot was initially blocked down by the Fr Caseys defence but Cronin stayed alert to handpass ball to Evan Egan. Egan cooly slotted the ball into the back of the net to raise the first green flag of the day.

The reigning league champions didn't panic and former Limerick footballer Adrian Enright took on the Na Piarsaigh defence, Enright played the ball across the square to full forward David Ward and Ward slotted the ball into the back of net to put his side back into the lead on 14 minutes. 

Fr Casey's didn't take their off the gas and applied huge pressure on Na Piarsaigh. A quick team move saw Fr Caseys awarded a penalty after Na Piarsaigh full back Shane Walsh denied the Abbeyfeale side a clear goalscoring opportunity. Shane Walsh was awarded a black card.

Annacotty soccer star Eliah Riordan stepped up from the penalty spot to score his club's second goal of the evening. 

On 20 minutes, Fr Casey's added their goal when Adrian Enright palmed the ball into the back of the net. Ruairi O'Connaill landed a point from range to give the Caherdavin side some hope as the half-time break approached. 

Substitute Martin Scannell responded through a placed ball to put Fr Casey's 3-3 to 1-1 ahead at the break.

Sharpshooter Adrian Enright added a free straight after the interval and that was cancelled out by a free from Na Piarsaigh's Eoin Hogan. 

Eoin Joy's charges hit the next four points through Dylan Quirke, Martin Scannell, Adrian Enright and Mark Nolan to put Fr Caseys 3-8 to 1-2 ahead. 

Dylan Cronin ended Na Piarsaigh's scoring drought on the third quarter mark. Dylan Quirke and Rory O'Brien combined excellently in a two minute period to have last year's county semi-finalists in a comanding position. 

Both sides hit 0-2 each in the last seven minutes as Fr Casey's cruised to a comprehensive victory. The 2006 county champions play Mungret St Paul's in the SFC semi-finals in two weeks time where they will look to reach their first county final since 2009. 

Adrian Enright and David Ward stood out scoring 2-4 out of their sides 3-12.

It was disappointing evening for Na Piarsaigh but the City based club certaintly have something to build on after they reached the quarter-finals for the second year in-a-row.

Fr CASEYS: Adrian Enright (1-3, 0-1 free) David Ward 1-1, Eliah Riordan (1-0 penalty), Dylan Quirke and Donagh Kelly 0-2 each, Martin Scannell (0-2, 0-1 free), Mark Nolan and Rory O'Brien 0-1 each.

NA PIARSAIGH: Evan Egan 1-0, Dylan Cronin (0-3,0-2 frees), Eoin Hogan 0-1 free, Ruairi O'Connaill and Christy O'Hagan 0-1 each.

FR CASEYS: Shane O’Connell; Tommy O’Keeffe, Sam Quigley, Michael Kilbridge; ,Fiachra Cotter, Seán Kilbridge, Mark McCarthy; Culann Quigley, Diarmuid Buckley; Rory O’Brien, Dylan Quirke, Eoghan O'Connell; Adrian Enright, David Ward, Eliah Riordan. 

SUBS: Martin Scannell for Culann Quigley (13 minutes, injury), Mark Nolan for Cotter (30 minutes, injury), Donagh Kelly for O'Connell 44 minutes, Dylan O'Connor for Quirke 52 minutes, John Riordan for O'Brien 54 minutes. 

NA PIARSAIGH:  Eoghan Sherlock; Christy O'Hagan, Shane Walsh, Jack McCarthy; Fionn Ó Tiarnaigh, Ralph Leonard, Ronan Houlihan; Reuben McCarthy, Ruairí O'Connell; Conor McLoughlin, Evan Sweeney, Cathal McMullan; Gordon Brown, Evan Egan, Dylan Cronin.

SUBS: Dean McLoughlin for Houlihan half-time, Eoin Hogan for O'Tiarnaigh Half-Time, Tommy Glynn for Egan (35 minutes), James Linnane for McMullan (44 minutes), Darragh Jordan for McLoughlin (58 minutes).

REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Ballylanders)