WATCH: Na Piarsaigh have too much firepower for Kilmallock in Limerick SHC Final

Na Piarsaigh 1-22 Kilmallock 2-14

The 2015 Limerick Senior Hurling Champions were back to their clinical best at the Gaelic Grounds today as they simply had too much for Kilmallock in a final that didn’t live up to its pre match billing.

Sin sin don seachtain seo ar @GAA_BEO! Feicfimid i gceann 7 lá sibh! #GAA Go raibh maith agaibh @nemetontv @__TVM__ pic.twitter.com/dZwza18Jrr

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 15, 2017

While the final scoreboard showed a five point victory for Shane O’Neill’s side, in truth they simply powered clear of Kilmallock establishing a 1-21 to 0-11 point lead with 62 minutes on the clock.

Late Kilmallock goals from Jake and Graeme Mulcahy were mere consolation scores which added a sense of credibility to the scoreline.

Cúl faighte ag @KilmallockGAA anseo! @GAA_BEO ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/KFNwIA1975

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 15, 2017

The city side set the pace early establishing a 0-5 to 0-1 point lead inside ten minutes with Kevin Downes, David Dempsey and Adrian and David Breen all registering scores.

Na Piarsaigh’s lead stretched to seven points (0-14 to 0-7) by the interval with six different scorers on the board and just one wide. Kilmallock for their part were struggling to find their range with a wide tally of six.

Inside the opening quarter, placed balls from Eoin Ryan and three Graeme Mulcahy points meant that Kilmallock trailed by just a point. It was at that point that Na Piarsaigh shifted up the gears and began to pull away with frees from Shane Dowling and Ronan Lynch moving them 0-11 to 0-6 ahead.

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Na Piarsaigh bolted out of the blocks in the second half with Downes, Green and Lynch all notching points. The Balbec responded with Gavin O’Mahony, Paudie O’Brien and Graeme Mulcahy all registering points.

In truth, Na Piarsaigh always kept Kilmallock at arm’s length and out of range. David Dempsey rubber-stamped their dominance in the 47th minute with barnstorming run that was finished off with a blistering short to the back of Barry Hennessey’s net.

Further points from Breen and county star Peter Casey moved Na Piarsaigh into a commanding 1-21 to 0-11 point lead. With three minutes remaining, Jake Mulcahy raised a green flag while deep in injury time, his brother Graeme scored Kilmallock’s second goal of the final but it would not be enough to derail Na Piarsaigh.

Cúl eile ag @KilmallockGAA ach is ag @NapGAA atá an bua i Luimneach. Comhghairdeas leo! @GAA_BEO ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/s3r7MVfj4T

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 15, 2017

Na Piarsaigh now advance to play Cork senior champions Blackrock in the Munster club championship in three weeks time and are even money to reclaim their 2016 title.

Is é Adrian Breen ó @NapGAA Laoch na hImeartha i bPáirc na nGael inniu @LimerickCLG #GAA @GAA_BEO ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/n7F9idd9Ka

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) October 15, 2017

Na Piarsaigh Scorers: Adrian Breen 0-6, Shane Dowling 0-5 (5f), David Dempsey 1-2, Kevin Downes 0-3, Ronan Lynch 0-2 (1f), David Breen, Alan Dempsey, Peter Casey and Thomas Grimes 0-1 each.

Kilmallock Scorers: Graeme Mulcahy 1-4, Jake Mulcahy 1-1, Kevin O’Donnell 0-3, Eoin Ryan 0-2 (2f), Robbie Hanley, Gavin O’Mahony, Micheal Houlihan and Paudie O’Brien 0-1 each.

Na Piarsaigh

1. Padraic Kennedy, 2. Jerome Boylan, 3. Mike Casey, 4. Niall Buckley, 5. Tommy Grimes, 6. Cathal King, 7. Alan Dempsey, 8. Shane Dowling, 9. William O’Donoghue, 20. Ronan Lynch, 11. David Breen, 12. David Dempsey, 10. Adrian Breen, 14. Kevin Downes, 15. Peter Casey

Subs: 24. Gordan Brown for Shane Dowling (42), 23. Conor Boylan for David Breen (48), 17. Mike Foley for William O’Donoghue (58), 18. James O’Brien for Jerome Boylan (61).

Kilmallock

1. Barry Hennessy, 2. Liam Hurley, 3. Mark O’Loughlin, 4. Aaron Costelloe, 5. Dan Joy, 6. Philip O’Loughlin, 7. Paddy O’Loughlin, 8. Jake Mulcahy, 9. Kevin O’Donnell, 10. Paudie O’Brien, 11. Gavin O’Mahony, 12. Micheal Houlihan, 13. Graeme Mulcahy, 14. Robbie Hanley, 15. Eoin Ryan.

Subs: 17. Oisin O’Reilly for Ryan (h-t), 19. David Woulfe for Houlihan (52)

Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)