Munster club SHC final: rampant Na Piarsaigh regain crown
November 24, 2013
Sixmilebridge's Noel Purcell and Shane Dowling of Na Piarsaigh.
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan.
Sixmilebridge (Clare) 0-8
Na Piarsaigh have been crowned Munster club hurling champions for the second time in three years after hammering Sixmilebridge by 18 points at Cusack Park in Ennis.
It was a bitter-sweet victory for Na Piarsaigh manager Sean Stack who had the unenviable task of plotting his native club's downfall. However, even he could not have envisaged such a comfortable victory against opponents who had won the Clare SHC title and beaten Midleton of Cork over the past two weekends.
The result was never in doubt from the moment county star Kevin Downes found the net inside the first minute. The Limerick champions went on to lead by 1-8 to 0-5 at the break and took complete control after the restart as the Sixmilebridge challenge crumbled.
While Kevin Lynch replied to Downes' early goal, Na Piarsaigh quickly eased into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead thanks to unanswered points from Shane Dowling, Adrian Breen, David Dempsey and Pat Gleeson. Shane Golden and Dowling exchanged points before former Clare All-Ireland winner Niall Gilligan narrowed the gap. But the winners still held a commanding lead at the break.
The 'Bridge needed an early second half goal to get themselves back into it, but instead it was Na Piarsaigh who got it when Kevin Ryan flicked home Shane Dowling's undercooked point attempt to make it 2-10 to 0-6.
It was one-way traffic after that as Adrian Breen grabbed a third goal at the second attempt at the end of the third quarter to leave the Limerick city side perched on a 3-11 to 0-6 lead. Dowling and Kevin Ryan tagged on further points before David Sheppard registered a fourth major in stoppage-time to complete the rout.
Na Piarsaigh - P Kennedy; K Breen, C King, M Casey; J O'Brien, D Breen, N Buckley; A Dempsey (0-2), W O'Donoghue; P Gleeson (0-1), K Downes (1-0), D Dempsey (0-1); K Ryan (1-3), S Dowling (0-5, 4f), A Breen (1-2). Subs: K Kennedy for Buckley, J Madden for D Dempsey, D Sheppard (1-0) for A Breen, B Hartnett for O'Brien, D Quigley for Downes.
Sixmilebridge - D Fahy; B Carey, A Quilligan, N Purcell; C Morey (0-1), P Fitzpatrick, J Fennessy; K Lynch (0-1), J Shanahan (0-1f); R Shanahan, S Golden (0-2), S Morey; P Sheehan, N Gilligan (0-3f), A Mulready. Subs: C Deasy for Mulready, S O'Sullivan for Sheehan.
Referee - C Lyons. Tweet
