Six-goal Na Piarsaigh signal Limerick SHC intent with big Kilmallock victory

LIMERICK senior hurling champions Na Piarsaigh signaled their intent with an emphatic round three win over Kilmallock.

The back-to-back champions were 6-15 to 2-11 winners in this repeat of last year's semi final in this Thursday evening fixture in the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Kilmallock scored just once from play in the second half as the city side powered to the victory.

Na Piarsaigh were 4-5 to 1-8 up at half time.

The first of the four goals came after just 15-seconds - William O'Donoghue and William Henn combining for Peter Casey to goal.

Ten minutes later Casey had his second goal and Na Piarsaigh were 2-2 to 0-1 clear.

Kilmallock hit back with six successive scores to lead the game - 1-6 to 2-2. 

The goal for the men in green came in the 14th minute from Paudie O'Brien, who bundled to the net after a Jake Mulcahy lineball fell into the goalmouth.

All of a sudden Kilmallock were 1-6 to 2-2 ahead and 16-minutes played.

The third Na Piarsaigh goal arrived in the 19th minute - Casey turning provider for Henn and the city side now 3-3 to 1-6 ahead.

In the final minute of the half came goal no4 - Conor Boylan finding the net despite an attempted goal line clearance from Mark O'Loughlin.

So after a half when Kilmallock had the breeze, Na Piarsaigh were 4-5 to 1-8 ahead at the break.

The scores dried up after the break.

Casey added three points and Na Piarsaigh were 4-10 to 1-10 clear entering the final quarter.

Kilmallock's first score from play in the new half came after 19-minutes when Oisin O'Reilly goaled after a Micheal Houlihan pass.

That left it 4-10 to 2-10 with 10-minutes to play.

The Kilmallock wides tally was now up to 10 - double that of Na Piarsaigh.

Within four minutes any thoughts of a comeback were put to bed with quick-fire goals for the city men - Kevin Ryan and Shane Dowling. The lead was now 6-12 to 2-10 and still five minutes to play.

A Kevin Downes point saw out the scoring for a Na Piarsaigh side, now managed by former Tipperary manager Michael Ryan and coached by former Galway hurler Nigel O'Shaughnessy.