Na Piarsaigh hit four goals in routine Limerick SHC win over Monaleen
Eoin Brosnan bagged two goals while Daithi Dempsey and JJ Carey added further three-pointers for a dominant Na Piarsaigh
CHAMPIONS Na Piarsaigh collected a maiden victory of the Whitebox Limerick Senior Hurling Championship as they saw off Monaleen on a 4-25 to 2-18 scoreline at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
A brace of goals from youngster Eoin Brosnan added to earlier green flags from JJ Carey and Dáithí Dempsey, with the result assured when Shane O’Neill’s much-changed outfit led by a dozen points at half-time.
Scoring 2-12 in the opening 18 minutes before registering a first wide on 21 minutes, the Caherdavin outfit ensured an immediate response to their opening round loss to Kilmallock at the same venue.
Despite the concession of well-taken goals to Mark O’Dwyer and Ben Hayes, the Light Blues had far too much for their cross-city rivals.
Affording to hold the likes of Kevin Downes, Vince Harrington and Mike Foley on the bench, Na Piarsaigh were on top from the first whistle. Will Henn, who hit a total of eight points from play, set them on their way after just thirteen seconds.
The maiden goal, after nine minutes through JJ Carey after great work by Peter Casey, opened up a 1-7 to 0-2 advantage. Casey scored a point but his influence in creating openings was evident in a humming attack.
Kenny Dunne’s Monaleen wasted some early openings but struggled for attacking possession thanks to an axis of Will O’Donoghue, Mike Casey and Ronan Lynch who mopped up plenty of loose ball for the winners.
By half-time, it was 2-16 to 0-10 with Shane Hassett and Dara Ferland among the Monaleen scorers. Playing without Darragh Langan can’t have helped their chances but Na Piarsaigh had far too much all over for last season's quarter-finalists.
Second half goals of different quality arrived from the hurley of Eoin Brosnan, who registered 2-2 from corner forward. In between those strikes were two goals for Monaleen, who will meet Doon in round three.
First was Mark O’Dwyer’s powerful effort, on 40 minutes, before Ben Hayes found the bottom corner on 53 minutes. It was a rude awakening to the ‘top tier’ of the Senior championship for Monaleen, who’d bagged five wins on the spin in Group Two of the Limerick SHC last season.
Ferland and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh enjoyed some bright moments, combining for six points between them but Na Piarsaigh’s speed of movement set them apart for much of this contest.
Will Henn, Keith Dempsey, subs Kevin Downes and Dylan Lynch all pointed for the winners to push the margin back out to thirteen by the time Donnacha O’Callaghan called time on a balmy evening on the Ennis Road.
O’Neill may point to the defensive lapses in the second half as an area to work on but, he can’t fault the application of his entire side in the opening half, who blitzed the opposition to remove any hope of an upset.
Na Piarsaigh will meet Ahane in round three at the close of August, with their eyes fixed on booking a knockout spot as soon as possible.
SCORERS - NA PIARSAIGH: Eoin Brosnan 2-2; Will Henn 0-8; Dáithí Dempsey 1-3; Keith Dempsey 0-6 (4f); JJ Carey 1-0; Ronan Lynch, Emmett McEvoy, Peter Casey, James Finn, Dylan Lynch, Kevin Downes 0-1 each; MONALEEN: Mark O’Dwyer 1-2 (1f, 1 ’65); Shane Hassett 0-5 (4f, 1 ‘65); Ben Hayes 1-0; Dara Ferland, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-3 each; Joe Fitzgerald 0-2; Lochlann McHale, Andrew La Touche Cosgrave, Eoghan O’Driscoll 0-1 each.
NA PIARSAIGH: Shane Dowling; Mark O’Connor, Jerome Boylan, Ronan Lynch; Emmett McEvoy, Mike Casey, James Finn; William O’Donoghue, JJ Carey; Keith Dempsey, Peter Casey, Dáithí Dempsey; Eoin Brosnan, Will Henn, Conor Boylan.; Subs: Kevin Downes for D Dempsey (43 mins,); Dylan Lynch for Brosnan (50 mins); Mike Foley for P Casey (54 mins); Vince Harrington for O’Connor (55 mins); Tommy Grimes for O’Donoghue (60 mins).
MONALEEN Jamie Power; Tom McCarthy, Bryan Canny, Noel Clancy; Matthew Fitzgerald, Lorcan Lyons, Ronan Lyons; Joseph Fitzgerald, Lochlann McHale; Eoghan O’Driscoll, Shane Hassett, Dara Ferland; Luke Murphy, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Andrew La Touche Cosgrave; Subs: Mark O’Dwyer for McHale (36 mins); Ben Hayes for Murphy (39 mins); Eoghan Maher for Hassett (45 mins).
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).