Galbally see off Na Piarsaigh to preserve Limerick senior football status

PLAYING with a sense of adventure and enjoyment not seen in a deeply disappointing reGular season, Galbally ended Na Piarsaigh's seven years in senior football with a comprehensive victory 3-12 to 2-6 in Saturday's relegation play-off final in Caherconlish.

Despite conceding a penalty to fall behind after just three minutes, the Glensmen used the wind to run up a lead of 0-6 to 1-1 at the first water break.

Galbally kept up the pressure in the second quarter with Jamie Morrissey's goal off Eoin O'Mahony's solo, before O'Mahony ripped the Na Piarsaigh defence opened for a second goal which helped the winners turnover with a significant advantage of 2-10 to 1-2. 

The Northsiders gave it a go on the resumption, with Gordon Brown finally getting their first from play after 42 minutes but, despite an extra man after Mike Donovan's black card, could manage no better than reducing the gap to 2-11 to 1-5 by the second water break.

It was all over when Donovan bagged Galbally's third goal immediately after play resumed and the Caherdavin club's only consolation was Dylan Cronin finding the net with the last action of the game.

SCORERS: GALBALLY: Jamie Morrissey, Eoiun O'Mahony 1-2 each, Mike Donovan 1-0, Kieran Hickey 0-3 (1 free), Ciarán Sheehan, Gary McCarthy, Ryan Tobin, Ger Quinlan, Eoin McGrath 0-1 each; NA PIARSAIGH: Eoin Hogan 1-3 (1-0 penalty, 0-3 frees), Dylan Cronin 1-2 (0-2 frees), Gordon Brown 0-1.