Patrickswell through to Limerick senior hurling quarter-finals with hard-fought win over Ahane

PATRICKSWELL have advanced into the quarter-final of the Limerick senior hurling championship after the 20-time county champions defeated Ahane 1-19 to 1-17 in Claughaun on Friday evening. 

Patrickswell's victory has now knocked Ahane out of the championship. Diarmaid Byrnes, Patrick Kirby and Jack Kelleher all stood out for this year's quarter-finalists. Ahane's Tom Morrissey and Gary Brennan were excellent for the full hour. 

The conditions were difficult, on Childers road on Friday evening. Aaron Gillane missed the game through injury for Patrickswell.

Ahane used the breeze to their advantage in the opening period, while Patrickswell battled back through the strong breeze in the second half. 

Tom Morrissey got his club off to the dream start on 15 seoonds when he sent a long delivery into the Ahane full forward line and Patrickswell goalkeeper Jason Gillane failed to deal with his long delivery in the windy conditions and Morrissey's effort ended up in the back of the net. 

Patrick Kirby replied with a neat effort on one minute to narrow the gap to two points. Ahane captain Ciaran Barry pounced on a misplaced pass in the middle third and Barry set up Tom Morrissey for his first point of the evening to put Ahane 1-1 to 0-2 ahead. Diarmaid Byrnes landed a long range effort to keep Patrickswell within touching distance early on. Ronan Fox put John Meskall's side back into a three point lead on six minutes. 

Ciaran Carey's side then produced an excellent team move when Patrickswell youngster John Murray played a terrific handpass straight to Patrick Kirby and Kirby cooly slotted the sliotar into the bottom corner. 

Tom Morrissey quickly pushed his club back into the lead on 10 minutes but his inter-county teammate Diarmaid Byrnes levelled matters soon after that. 

Padraig Harnett drove forward to land an effort from range and Morrissey made no mistake from two placed balls to put Ahane into a 1-6 to 1-3 lead. 

Patrickswell hit back through Jack Kelleher and Patrick Kirby to reduce the gap the minimium. 

The Castleconnell club went on to asert their dominance on the game in an 11 minute spell where they took control of the contest. Two spectacular points from difficult angles through William Brennan, three Tom Morrissey placed balls along with a Conor Heffernan effort had Ahane 1-12 to 1-5 ahead at the break. 

Last year's county finalists needed a big response and Patrickswell certainly got that in the second half. 

Tom Morrissey got the first score of the second half to put Ahane 1-13 to 1-5 ahead. Jack Kelleher and Cian Lynch were begining to come into the game. Kelleher got his third point of the evening on 34  minutes and in between that period Cian Lynch was on target for the first time, the Well trailed 1-13 to 1-8. 

Mark Donnellan tapped over a crucial score for Ahane to give them some breathing space. 

The victors didn't panic at any stage in the second half, Kelleher, Diarmaid Byrnes and Patrick Kirby brought their side back into the contest on third quarter mark. Limerick sharspshooter Morrissey was proving accurate once again from the placed ball and it looked as if Meskell's charges were managing the game excellently when they led 1-15 to 1-12. 

Cian Lynch was central to Patrickswell' second half comeback and the Limerick hurler set up Byrnes for his fourth point of the evening on 47 minutes and wing back Evan Fitzgerald made it a one point with 12 minutes remaining. All the momentum was with Patrickswell. 

Another Morriseey free put Ahane back into the lead. Nigel Foley, Kevin O'Brien, Evan Fitzgerald and Patrick Kirby were all on target in the final quarter and ultimately that proved to be difference between the sides as Patrickswell led 1-19 to 1-16 as injury time approached. 

Referee Johnny Murphy awarded a red card to Patrickswell centre half back Nigel Carey late on for a strike on Ahane wing forward Gary Brennan. Morrissey nailed the resulting free but it proved to be too late as Patrickswell hung on for a two point victory. 

Patrickswell finish their group campaign against Kilmallock next Sunday, while Ahane will look to finsh their group campaign on a high against Doon.

SCORERS:

AHANE: Tom Morrissey (1-11, 0-9 frees), William Brennan 0-2, Padraig Hartnett, Ronan Fox, Mark Donnellan and Conor Heffernan 0-1 each. 

PATRICKSWELL: Patrick Kirby 1-4, Diarmaid Byrnes (0-5, 0-3 frees), Jack Kelleher (0-5, 0-3 frees), Evan Fitzgerald 0-2 Kevin O'Brien, Nigel Foley and Cian Lynch 0-1 each

PATRICKSWELL: Jason Gillane; Kelvin Lynch, Cian Fitzgerald, John Flynn; Mark Carmody, Nigel Foley, Evan Fitzgerald; Diarmaid Byrnes, John Murray; Cian O'Gorman, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher; Patrick Kirby, Kevin O’Brien, Tom O'Brien. 

SUBS: Eoin Harmon for Tom O'Brien (38 minutes).

AHANE: Cathal Ryan; Evan O'Leary, Dan Morrissey, Gavin Rowsome; Padraig Hartnett, Ciaran Barry (Captain), Daniel Minihan; Stephen Power, Conor Heffernan; Gary Brennan, Ronan Fox, Tom Morrissey; Mark Donnellan, William Brennan, Jack Butler.

SUBS: Kevin Morrissey for Fox 57 minutes, Cathal O'Meara for Butler 57 minutes.

REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Glenroe).