Kilmallock maintain 100% start but Doon shock the Well in SHC second round

Oisin O’Reilly had the final score for Kilmallock as they move onto four points in the Limerick senior hurling championship.

Kilmallock will head into the break in the Limerick SHC as the only team with a perfect record after a pair of stunning results on Thursday evening.

The Balbec left it late to pull away from Ahane but in the other tie, Doon, after a 19-point hammering at the hands of Kilmallock, in round one, shocked Patrickswell who had defeated Na Piarsaigh last Friday.

It means Patrickswell, Doon and Ahane are all deadlocked on two points with one of Na Piarsaigh or Kildimo Pallaskenry likely to join them this evening as they meet on Limerick GAA TV.

In Doon, Kilmallock secured a 1-19 to 1-12 victory against Ahane after tacking on nine of the last eleven scores following a tight opening 40 minutes.

It was Ahane who got off to the perfect start, Jack Butler pouncing on a lo0se ball in the Balbec rearguard to fire to the net.

Tom Morrissey frees kept them in front as Kilmallock struggled to find the groove that saw them hit 3-22 the previous week.

Ahane’s lead was 1-6 to 0-4 midway through the half but a strong finish from the 2021 champions reduced that margin to two-points at the interval.

Gavin O’Mahony wiped that out immediately after the restart following a clever pass from Conor Hanley Clarke. But they couldn’t build on it with the teams deadlocked at 1-10 apiece with twenty minutes to play.

Oisin O’Reilly gave the Balbec the lead with Micheal Houlihan doubling that advantage. Kilmallock wouldn’t trail from here. Morrissey did reduce the gap to a solitary point but the next secven points came from Kilmallock, substitute Conor Staunton with a pair of those as Padraig Harnett was sent off for a second yellow for Ahane.

O’Reilly had the final score for Kilmallock as they move onto four points in the SHC.

Elsewhere, Doon upset the odds and bounced back into contention with a 2-18 to 2-16 win over Patrickswell. Jack Ryan was the hero with late points for the East side who reshuffled the pack with their injury crisis.

Aaron Gillane hit the net early on for Patrickswell but that was replied to by a Pat Ryan green flag. John Kirby and Kevin Maher exchanged goals thereafter with the ‘Well leading 2-10 to 2-7 at the interval.

With ten to play the sides were level and Ryan’s late exploits were enough for the win to breathe more life into an already absorbing championship.

On Friday evening Kildimo Pallaskenry face Na Piarsaigh while Mungret St Pauls meet Garryspillane in group two.

Scorers for Kilmallock: Micheal Houlihan 0-9 (5fs, 1 ’65), Gavin O’Mahony 1-0, Shane O’Brien 0-3, Oisin O’Reilly, Phelim O’Reilly & Conora Staunton 0-2 each, Paddy O’Loughlin 0-1.

Scorers for Ahane: Tom Morrissey 0-7 (6fs), Jack Butler 1-0, Ronan Fox 0-3, Mark Donnellan and Dan Minehan both 0-1.

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