Holders Na Piarsaigh get first win of Limerick SHC as Garryspillane and Mungret draw
NA PIARSAIGH are up and running in the Bons Secours Limerick SHC following a 1-23 to 1-14 win over Kildimo-Pallaskenry in their round two clash in Claughaun.
Peter Casey and Adrian Breen did a lot of the damage for Shane O'Neill's side with 0-10 between them, while Conor Boylan's first half goal was the difference at the break.
Playing with a strong breeze in the opening half, Kildimo-Pallaskenry operated with Kyle Hayes at centre back and the sides were level three times on the opening nine minutes.
However, Na Piarsaigh began to take control with Casey and Breen landing two each to seem them to a 0-7 to 0-3 advantage.
Shaun Barry and Liam Griffin scores stemmed the tide for Natal O'Grady's charges but Boylan's goal proved crucial on 18 minutes.
JJ Carey and Casey combined to put Boylan into space and a delivered a powerful finish that helped Na Piarsaigh to a 1-10 to 0-10 half time advantage.
Some excellent play in the second half, including a long range Shane Dowling free, saw Na Piarsaigh take full control and led by 11-points late on.
However, a Shaun Barry goal from a free gave Kildimo-Pallaskenry a lift in added time but Na Piarsaigh were full value for the win with Casey landing the final score to seal the nine-point winning margin.
Elsewhere in Group 2, Mungret St Paul's and Garrypillane played out a thrilling 1-14 to 2-11 draw in Cappamore. A Bryan Heavey free in added time saw the Bouncers earn a point from the game.
Mungret led by two points when Colin Ryan buried the first goal for the south Limerick outfit. A Paul O'Brien free put Mungret back in front and then Barry Duff weighed in with a Mungret goal, his third in the space of two games.
Brian Begley's Mungret side then stretched into a five-point lead towards the end of the half but another Ryan goal cut the lead to two. Declan Barry and Callum Sheehan then saw the game squared up at the break - 1-9 to 2-6.
It was just as tight in the second half but Mungret did get to a three-point advantage at one stage, only for Garryspillane to power back to earn a deserved point.