Na Piarsaigh surge into Limerick senior hurling championship final after victory over Kilmallock

NA PIARSAIGH have beaten Kilmallock in the Whitebox Limerick senior hurling championship semi-final on a scoreline of 2-20 to 1-17 in Bruff on Sunday afternoon. 

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Two first-half goals from the ruthless Adrian Breen set Na Piarsaigh on their way to set up a Limerick SHC championship clash with either Doon or Ballybrown in two weeks' time. 

Na Piarsaigh got off to the perfect start when Adrian Breen raised a green flag after just two minutes. Ronan Lynch's long-range free dropped short and Breen was on hand to finish to the back of the Kilmallock net.

Further points from Breen and Mike Casey gave the victors a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after five minutes.

Shane O'Brien, who was busy throughout the 60 minutes got Kilmallock off the mark from a free after six minutes.

Both sides would trade scores for the next few minutes and a Kevin Downes free gave Na Piarsaigh a 1-5 to 0-2 lead after ten minutes.

Kilmallock managed to rally off a few scores of their own through a few Shane O'Brien frees, a great team score finished off by David Woulfe and a real beauty from Michael Houlihan which left the score at 1-6 to 0-7 after 20 minutes. 

Kilmallock were beginning to grow in confidence but scores from Daithí Dempsey and Peter Carey gave Na Piarsaigh some breathing room before Adrian Breen netted a second goal five minutes before the interval.

Further points from Dempsey and Casey (x2) gave James Ryan's side a comfortable 2-13 to 0-07 point lead at half-time.

Graeme Mulcahy was introduced at half time to try and add some solidity to the Kilmallock back line and to their credit, James Hickey's side rallied again.

Points from Shane O'Brien and Oisín Reilly brought the game to a two-score game on 38 minutes, 2-13 to 0-13. 

Substitute Tommy Grimes and Will Henn were able to add to Na Piarsaigh's lead but Kilmallock retained their interest through the placed ball efforts of Shane O'Brien and goalkeeper Conor Hanley Clarke.

Both side's kept the scoreboard ticking over in the final ten minutes but it was Na Piarsaigh who were able to keep their Kilmallock opponents at bay, those two first-half Breen strikes proving pivotal. 

Substitute Oisín Enright did manage to grab a consolation three-pointer for James Hickey' side late on, just after they were reduced to 14-men, when Sean Carroll was given his marching orders for a high tackle. 

Referee Johhny Murphy sounded for full-time moments later and it is Na Piarsaigh who march on to the Limerick SHC final in two week's time.

SCORERS: KILMALLOCK: Shane O'Brien 0-9 (6f), Conor Hanley Clarke 0-3 (3f), Oisín Enright 1-0, Oisín O'Reilly, David Woulfe, Michael Houlihan, Paudie O'Brien 0-1 each. NA PIARSAIGH: Adrian Breen 2-1, Kevin Downes 0-6 (5f) (1 65'), Peter Casey 0-5, Daithí Dempsey and Will Henn 0-2 each, Mike Casey, Ronan Lynch, Tommy Grimes and Dylan Lynch 0-1 each.

KILMALLOCK: Conor Hanley Clarke, Dylan O'Brien, Mark O'Loughlin, Aaron Costello, Robbie Egan, Ciaran O'Connor, Sean Carroll, Killian Hayes, Robbie Hanley, Gavin O'Mahony, Michael Houlihan, Phelim O'Reilly, David Woulfe, Oisín O'Reilly, Shane O'Brien. SUBS: Graeme Mulcahy for Mark O'Loughlin (HT), Thomas Savage for Phelim O'Reilly (40 min), Paudie O'Brien for Killian Hayes (45 minutes), Pierce Connery for Gavin O'Mahony (45 minutes), Conor Staunton for David Woulfe, Oisín Enright for Aaron Costello (57 minutes, blood sub)

NA PIARSAIGH: Shane Dowling, Jerome Boylan, Mike Casey, Vince Harrington, Mike Foley, Ronan Lynch, Emmet McEvoy, William O'Donoghue, James Finn, JJ Carey, Peter Casey, Daithí Dempsey, Kevin Downes, Will Henn, Adrian Breen. SUBS: Tommy Grimes for James Finn (36 minutes), Dylan Lynch for JJ Carey (45 minutes), Keith Dempsey for Daithí Dempsey (55 minutes), Wayne Kearns for Will Henn (60 minutes).

REFEREE: Johnny Murphy (Glenroe)