Patrickswell vs Doon and there’s skin and hair flying.
It’s the first round of the Limerick senior hurling championship, it’s the first time for most of these lads to wear their club jerseys this year, it’s live on TG4, it’s a dog-dirty Sunday in Kilmallock, this is helter skelter hurling.
There’s a rivarly here too. Doon defeated The Well by the bare minimum in the county semi-final only six months ago. This is round two. John Kiely will be watching, there are claims to make, scalps to take.
The only issue will be calming these lads down.
The game begins at full pelt. The conditions might be slow but the hurling sure as hell isn’t. Limerick are the best hurling county in the country at the moment, you can see exactly why here.
Doon start the brighter. Pat Ryan with the socks up and the legs pumping, is throwing himself around the place like a bull in a china shop. Last year’s beaten finalists are feeding off that, Barry Murphy knocks over a fine score, Darragh O’Donovan is pulling the strings, Josh Ryan is making a statement..
Patrickswell have Aaron Gillane though. The hurler of the league is literally doing whatever he wants with a sliotar these days and on 11 minutes he’s flicking, tricking, ducking and dodging again. Doon don’t lay a glove on him as he slaloms through the mill to set up Paul O’Brien.
Some skill.
Aaron Gillane is literally doing whatever he wants with a sliotar these days.
Sick.pic.twitter.com/ANZrIwAQ9G
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 15, 2019
Gillane wouldn’t mind a glove being laid. The Well are in the game now.
They trade blows to half time, John Flynn coming into it for Ciaran Carey’s men, not an inch given or a quarter spared, seven points apiece.
The game is turned on its head five minutes into the second half though and of course, the man of the moment Gillane is right in the line of fire.
It looks like a routine clearance for a Doon defender. Not with Gillane on the scene. All bucks, kicks and jostles, he up-ends the Doon man fair and square, keeps on going until he has the ball and then he somehow manages to get the perfect pass into John Flynn’s path.
Flynn, having a good game himself, buries it, Patrickswell are on their way.
Aaron Gillane is like some kind of war general these days 💣
Just look at the manic aggression that wins him this ball…#HurlerOnFirepic.twitter.com/DvyYyrjKqv
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 15, 2019
In such dirty conditions, a goal was always going to be defining, especially when two Doon men were subsequently sent off. County man Richie English one of them for throwing a hurl and Patrickswell kicked onto win by 1-13 to 0-10. Another Gillane sealing the deal, Aaron’s younger brother Jason.
Here we go again.
Senior hurling championship results
Limerick
As mentioned above, Patrickswell are looking good. Michael Ryan has gotten off to a good start with Na Piarsaigh while Kilmallock also won comfortably.
Na Piarsaigh 4-20 South Liberties 0-10
Patrickswell 1-13 Doon 0-10
Killmallock 0-18 Adare 0-13
Murroe Boher 0-18 Garryspillane 2-12
Monaleen 1-17 Ahane 0-17
Ballybrown 1-23 Knockainey 0-13
Wexford
2017 champions St Martin’s are like men possessed in the hunt to regain that crown. They annihilated St Anne’s of Rathangan by 34 points.
A junior club in 2017, Fethard St Mogue’s are settling into senior hurling well. A draw with Faythe Harriers in the first round isn’t a bad start for a club who are rising rapidly.
Reigning champions Naomh Eanna ground it out over Rathnure, while Oulart The Ballagh’s struggles continue. They were narrowly beaten by Oylegate Glenbrien.
