Monaleen finish strongly against Na Piarsaigh to claim Limerick Premier minor hurling title

MONALEEN were crowned Limerick Premier minor hurling champions after they defeated Na Piarsaigh 2-17 to 2-13 in Mick Neville Park on Wednesday evening. 

Supporters were treated to an enthralling contest in Rathkeale. 

The sides met earlier this year in the group stages of the championship where it finished a draw. 

Monaleen started brightly and raced into a 0-3 lead after six minutes with Barry Griffin, Conal Purcell and Matthew Fitzgerald all on target. 

Na Piarsaigh regrouped and began to settle into the game. David O'Keefe and Shane Waters narrowed the gap to the minimum. 

The Castletroy outfit took complete control of the contest and landed the next five points through Peter Scully, Dara Ferland and and Conal Purcell to put them 0-7 to 0-2 ahead on 13 minutes. 

Na Piarsaigh battled back once again and foreced a turnover in the Monaleen defence. Na Piarsaigh's Conor Bermingham played a clever pass to Limerick minor hurler Eoin Brosnan. Brosnan made no mistake in front of goal and rattled the sliotar into the back of the net. 

Alex Kearns reduced the gap to the minimium when the Na Piarsaigh sharpshooter landed a 65. Kearns leveled matters on 22 minutes from a placed ball. 

Monaleen senior star Matthew Fitzgerald was proving just as accurate. Fitzgerald nailed two placed balls right before the break to put his club 1-4 to 0-9 ahead at the break. 

Matthew Fitzgerald and Shane Waters traded frees in the early exchanges of the second half. The sides hit o-4 each in a nine minute period. Fitzgerald and Waters were proving to be crucial for their teams. 

Fitzgerald's pushed last year's county finalists 1-9 to 0-15 ahead on 46 minutes. The inspirational Danny Sheehan who was part of this year's Limerick minor hurling squad sent over an inspirational effort to narrow the gap to two points. 

Monaleen were searching desperately for a green flag all evening but Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper Darragh Jordan pulled off some fantastic saves. Shane Mullane's charges raised their first of the major when Eoghan Maher slotted the sliotar into the back of the net from close range. 

Na Piasaigh showed tremendous character once again. The lively David O'Keefe and Shane Waters made it a once score game on 50 minutes. Then an excellent team move saw centre half forward Mark Hogan rattle the sliotar past Monaleen goalkeeper Mark Purtill. The sides were level for the second time. 

It felt as if Monaleen were in control but Na Piarsaigh's were throwing everything at their opponents. The victors showed remarkable composure to outscore their opponents 1-2 to 0-1 in the closing stages.Peter Scully scored the decisive second goal for the winners

SCORERS:

MONALEEN: Matthew Fitzgerald (0-6,0-5 frees), Eoghan Maher 1-3, Peter Scully 1-1, Dara Ferland 0-3 and Conal Purcell 0-2 Barry Griffin and Ewan McHale 0-1 each. 

NA PIARSAIGH: Eoin Brosnan 1-0 and Mark Hogan 1-0 each, Alex Kearns (0-2, 0-1 frees, 0-1 65), Shane Waters (0-7, 0-6 frees), David O'Keefe 0-2, Danny Sheehan and Paul McDonagh 0-1

MONALEEN: Mark Purtill; Louis Ferland, Tom McCarthy, Sean McKeon; Conor Gavin, Cian Scully, Marcus Southern; Barry Griffin, Harry McDermott; Conal Purcell, Dara Ferland (C), Eoghan Maher, Peter Scully, Matthew Fitzgerald, Ewan McHale.

SUBS: Cillian Clifford for McHale (56 minutes)

NA PIARSAIGH: Darragh Jordan; Michael Duggan, John O'Keefe (C), Adam Fitzsimons; Harry McGann, Danny Sheehan, Tadgh Mullane; Ronan Benson, David O'Keefe; Louis Murphy, Mark Hogan, Alex Kearns; Shane Waters, Conor Bermingham, Eoin Brosnan. 

SUBS:Paul McDonagh for Kearns (36 minutes). 

REFEREE: Eamonn Stapleton (Doon)