AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Quarter Final – Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 3-17 Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) 2-18

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) defeated Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) by 3-17 to 2-18 in the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship on Sunday October 27^th at Semple Stadium Thurles.

Dempsey’s double sees Na Piarsaigh shock Tipp kingpins

Report by Jackie Cahill for thescore.ie

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 3-17 Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) 2-18

DAVID DEMPSEY’S TWO second half goals helped Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh past Tipperary kingpins Loughmore-Castleiney in a feisty AIB Munster senior club hurling quarter-final at Semple Stadium this afternoon. Loughmore had two players sent off and Na Piarsaigh finished the game with 14 men following a hard-hitting encounter in Thurles. Na Piarsaigh had to come from 10 points down in the second half to claim victory — and set up a semi-final meeting with Waterford representatives Passage, at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on 10 November. Loughmore trailed by 0-5 to 0-8 in the 21st minute when William O’Donoghue became the fifth Na Piarsaigh forward to register a score from play but that was the cue for the Tipperary kingpins to run riot before half-time. Loughmore led 1-11 to 0-8 at the break, with Liam McGrath netting in the 27th minute, as they defied the odds following Bourke’s sending-off.

A quickfire 1-1 from Cian Hennessy after half-time had Loughmore in 2-12 to 0-8 in front – and in sight of a remarkable victory. Loughmore then lost Willie Eviston to a straight red card – after fellow defender Derek Bourke was dismissed as early as the fourth minute. Eviston was sent off after Kevin Downes had goaled for Na Piarsaigh to spark their fightback. And when Dempsey netted the first of his two goals, in the 39th minute, it was very much game on, in front of 1,642 spectators.

Na Piarsaigh also had a massive wind at their backs in the second half and yet Loughmore refused to bend. They received a boost with five minutes remaining when full-back Kieran Breen was sent off for an off the ball incident involving Liam McGrath. It appeared that Loughmore might hold out but Dempsey broke their hearts in the final minute, after Loughmore goalkeeper Shane Nolan had brilliantly kept out Kevin Ryan’s shot. The brilliant Noel McGrath, scorer of nine points for Loughmore, reduced the deficit to just a point in stoppage time, 2-18 to 3-16, before Shane Dowling’s fifth point, and his fourth from a free, sealed the deal for Na Piarsaigh.

Scorers for Loughmore-Castleiney: Noel McGrath 0-9 (4f, 1 sl), Liam McGrath 1-3 (0-3f), Cian Hennessy 1-1, Ciaran McGrath 0-2, Tom King, John McGrath & Evan Sweeney 0-1 each.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: David Dempsey 2-1, Kevin Downes 1-2, Shane Dowling 0-5 (4f), Kevin Ryan & Pat Gleeson 0-2 each, David Breen, James O’Brien, William O’Donoghue, Kieran Kennedy & Adrian Breen 0-1 each.

LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY: Shane Nolan; Tommy Long, Derek Bourke, Lorcan Egan; Willie Eviston, John Meagher, Tom King; Ciaran McGrath, Tomás McGrath; John McGrath, David Kennedy, Liam McGrath; Evan Sweeney, Noel McGrath, Cian Hennessy.

Subs: Johnny Campion for Long (60), Micheál Webster for Hennessy (60).

NA PIARSAIGH: Padraig Kennedy; Kieran Breen, Niall Buckley, Michael Casey; Cathal King, David Breen, James O’Brien; Shane Dowling, Alan Dempsey; William O’Donoghue, Kevin Downes, David Dempsey; Kieran Kennedy, Kevin Ryan, Adrian Breen.

Subs: Pat Gleeson for Kennedy (h.t.), Damien Quigley for Adrian Breen (57), Brian Hartnett for Casey (60+3).

Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)

When – Sunday October 27^th at 2:00pm

Where – Semple Stadium Thurles

Extra time – (2 periods x 10 minutes only) to be played if sides finish level at the end of 60 minutes

Replay date – Saturday November 2^nd or Sunday November 3rd at the Gaelic Grounds Limerick

Next Round – the winners play Passage (Waterford) in the Munster Club Semi-Final on Sunday November 10^th at Semple Stadium Thurles or the Gaelic Grounds Limerick

Admission Prices –
Adults – €15
Student/OAP – €10
All Under 16s free

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ed Donnelly at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information

For the Record

Munster GAA HURLING Club Senior Championship 2013

Quarter-Final

Sunday October 27^th (Replay date – Saturday November 2^nd)

@ Semple Stadium Thurles           Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) v Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 2:00pm

Semi-Finals
Sunday November 10^th (Replay date – Saturday November 16th)

@ Semple Stadium Thurles or Passage (Waterford) v Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary)

Gaelic Grounds Limerick or Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 2:00pm

Sunday November 17^th

@ Cork venue Clare champions v Cork champions 2:00pm

Final

Sunday November 24^th (Replay date – Saturday November 30^th)

2:00pm throw-in

Odds and Ends

From 2010 through 2012, the travelling team has won 8 of the 9 matches played in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals. The victory of Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) over Sarsfields (Cork) at Semple Stadium in the 2012 Semi-Final is the only exception in the past 3 seasons.

2013 marks the third appearance by Loughmore-Castleiney in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship. Their record to date is 3 wins with just 1 defeat (at the hands of Patrickswell (Limerick) by 1-12 to 0-9 in the 1988 Munster Semi-Final).

Na Piarsaigh’s first appearance in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship saw them finish as winners following a replay victory over Crusheen (Clare). Their records to date is 2 wins and 1 draw.

Tipperary hold the record for the number of clubs that have won the Munster title, with nine different clubs all claiming provincial victories on behalf of the county (Carrick Davins, Roscrea, Moycarkey-Borris, Kilruane MacDonaghs, Borris-Ileigh, Cashel King Cormacs, Toomevara, Loughmore-Castleiney and Thurles Sarsfields).

Of the 5 participating counties in this year’s Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship, Waterford have the best record since 2000 with 18 victories and 1 draw out of 28 matches played. Tipperary has the next best record with 15 wins and 2 draws out of 26 games.
The Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship is very competitive with only one score separating the champions and runner-up in each final from 2004 through 2011 (drawn match). Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) won the 2012 final versus De La Salle (Waterford) by five points.

Munster GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (17) – 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1987, 2003, 2005, 2009

Tipperary (12) – 1966, 1969, 1970, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1993, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012

Clare (9) – 1967, 1968, 1984, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Limerick (6) – 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2011

Waterford (5) – 1981, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010

Munster GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship – List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began 1888 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/shclub_teams/

All Ireland GAA Club HURLING Senior Championship

In the Club Senior Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork clubs have won 9 titles followed by Tipperary with 3 and Clare with 2. Galway lead the roll of honour with 12 club titles followed by Kilkenny clubs with 10.

Munster Club Senior HURLING Cup

Club Championship Senior Hurling Cup – O’Neill Cup

Presented by Sarsfields Club, Cork, in 1972 to commemorate Billy O’Neill who founded their club in 1903.