Ballygunner up next for Na Piarsaigh this weekend in Munster Senior Hurling Championship

LIMERICK champions Na Piarsaigh are back in Munster club senior hurling championship action this weekend.Na Piarsaigh face Waterford champions Ballygunner this Sunday at 3:30pm in a Munster SHC quarter-final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

The Caherdavin club have suffered defeats to Ballygunner at the semi-stage of the Munster club championship in both 2022 and 2023. Na Piarsaigh won their ninth Limerick SHC defeating Doon 2-25 to 2-18 after extra-time.Shane O'Neill has added Tomas Downes to his backroom team this year. Na Piarsaigh coach Downes is looking forward to the Munster club campaign.

“After an awful lot of these county titles, we have gone out and given Munster a good rattle. That will be the plan, we'll have to start looking at Ballygunner,” said Tomas Downes.

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Na Piarsaigh have won the Munster senior hurling club championship four times in total, in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. The sides have developed an intense rivalry over the last decade in the Munster SHC. Since 2011, Na Piarsaigh have defeated Ballygunner three times, while Ballygunner have also gotten the better of their Limerick opponents three times.

Since 2018, the Waterford champions have gone on to win four Munster SHC titles.2017 was the last time Shane O'Neill's charges got a victory against Ballgunner in the provincial championship.

The winner of Sunday's clash will advance to the Munster semi-final where they will face Cork champions Sarsfields on Sunday, November 16 at a Waterford or Limerick venue. Eire Óg of Clare will meet the Tipperary champions, Loughmore-Castleiney in other Munster semi-final on Sunday November 16.

Na Piarsaigh senior hurling goalkeeper Shane Dowling said the Munster SHC is something that they're keen to go after this year.

“In the back of our minds, we know we have a Munster Championship game on in the Gaelic Grounds against a serious Ballygunner team. It's one now that we really want to go after and we will go after.”

Dowling feels that the competitiveness within the Na Piarsaigh squad is what keeps them hungry for success.

“We are just a very competitive bunch, even if we are playing pool or darts whatever it is after training, fellas would take the hand off you to win. I just think there is a big winning factor within the group and they just want to keep on winning.”

Peter Casey is expecting another Titantic battle against Ballygunner. “We've had some ding dong battles with Ballygunner down through the years. I'm sure it will be no different (on Sunday).”

This will be Ballygunner's first competitive game since their 2-35 to 1-16 Waterford SHC county final victory over Mount Sion on September 7.Former Wexford football manager Jason Ryan has replaced Darragh O'Sullivan as manager of the Waterford club this year.