Doon rely on late, late show to pip Ballybrown in Limerick senior hurling championship

A LATE, late show from Doon saw them rescue the spoils and seal a place in the Whitebox Property Developments Ltd Limerick senior hurling championship knockout placings, after recovering from five points in arrears, to eventually pip Ballybrown at the post 3-17 to 2-19 in their Grpup 1 fixture at Kilmallock on Frirday evening.

The scoring hero was Darragh O’Donovan, who saw his long-range effort sail between the posts, and with it snatch a win from Ballybrown. The Clarina side then saw scorer-in-chief, Aidan O’Connor miss a late free, which rebounded off the post.

For Kevin Lally and Ballybrown, they know a positive result in the final round will be enough to take them into the knockout rounds of this championship, but they let their first opportunity slip against the champions.

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Derek McGrath and Doon will know there is more to come but they had to dig very deep against a physical and well drilled Ballybrown side.

They trailed for almost all the second half as goals from Pat Ryan and captain O’Donovan, hauled them back to within touching distance.

Prior to that, Ballybrown had led 1-11 to 1-8 at half-time, that despite hitting 15 wides in a first half which the will feel the dominated. Key here was O’Connor, whose scoring exploits are largely why the Group Two winners from 2024, are now dining at the top table.

Donal Coughlan had put Doon ahead with a well taken goal midway through the half, the opening created by O’Donovan’s brilliant run and neat pass. However, Ballybrown weren’t rocked.

They were soon level as Leigh Doolan and O’Connor raised white flags. Ross Kenny’s score cancelled out an Adam English free, before Chris Thomas had the east side back in front.

Played at frantic pace, this was no more evident when Ross Griffin’s brilliant run saw him feed Barry Adams. A Limerick U20 earlier this year, he found the net. From here, 26 minutes, until nearing full-time, the city club led.

They were finding joy for O’Connor early in the second half, while Leigh Doolan’s third strengthened their position.

However, Gareth Thomas and Richie English kept the game tight. It took a low Pat Ryan finish to set up a hectic and very enjoyable closing ten minutes.

Ross Kenny matched it with a goal at the other end, picking out the top corner, before O’Donovan kept the green flags coming when burying a 20m free.

After this, a run of four points to just one saw the result turned on its head. Donal Coughlan brought his tally to 1-2, before O’Connor hit his thirteenth and final point.

Gareth Thomas, now taking the frees, pointed, while Eddie Stokes found space to level the game for the fourth time.

Then, after a scramble for possession, the experienced O’Donovan found some space to split the posts. A win that maintains Doon’s superb record of knockout hurling in every season, dating back to 2013.

SCORERS: Doon: Donal Coughlan 1-2; Darragh O’Donovan 1-1 (1-0f); Pat Ryan 1-1; Kevin Maher 0-3; Gareth Thomas 0-3 (3f); Chris Thomas 0-2; Adam English 0-2 (2f); Eddie Stokes 0-2; Richie English 0-1. Ballybrown: Aidan O’Connor 0-13 (8f, 1 s/l); Ross Kenny 1-2; Barry Adams 1-1; Leigh Doolan 0-3.

DOON: Darragh Stapleton; Mikey O’Brien, Tommy Hayes, Cian O’Donovan; Jack Ryan, Barry Murphy, Richie English; Darragh O’Donovan, Adam English; Gareth Thomas, Chris Thomas, Eddie Stokes; Pat Ryan, Kevin Maher, Donal Coughlan. Sub: Cormac Ryan for English (injured, 55 mins).

BALLYBROWN: Cian Hedderman; Ned Quinn, David Hartnett, James Coughlan; Mike Gavin, Colin Coughlan, Keith Punch; Killian Gavin, Leigh Doolan; Ross Kenny, Aidan O’Connor, Ross Griffin; Barry Adams, Bryan Griffin, Mikey Kiely. Subs: Kenny Power for Punch (blood, 33–34 mins); Bobby Smith for Kiely (37 mins); Kenny Power for Gavin (60 mins).

REFEREE: Mike Sexton (Bruree)