Na Piarsaigh 2-22
Doon 3-10

Na Piarsaigh retained their Limerick senior hurling championship crown after a power-packed display against Doon in tonight’s final at the Gaelic Grounds.

The city side put on a show under lights before an attendance of 7,526, erasing an early goal from Pat Ryan that handed Doon the dream start by notching over points via brothers David and Alan Dempsey, Adrian Breen (2) and Shane Dowling, scorer of 0-12 over the hour, which helped them to lead by 0-11 to 1-5 at the half.

Doon responded in the best possible fashion right at the start of the second-half by netting their second major through Dean Coleman after a brilliant solo-run from their no 15 Barry Murphy.

Last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists soon regained the upper hand however, with David Dempsey rocketing in their first goal of the night to make it 1-13 to 2-5 and they’d simply never look back from there.

Murphy’s frees did keep the underdogs in contention up until the last quarter but once Breen rifled to their net on 49 minutes the coveted John Daly Cup was only headed one way.

Peter Casey extended the lead to eight a minute later and while Doon pulled back a goal through Barry Murphy, it made little difference as a fifth title was already secured for Na Piarsaigh.

Back-to-back county champions for the first time, the Caherdavin club now play Clonoulty-Rossmore of Tipperary in the Munster club SHC semi-finals next Sunday week at the Gaelic Grounds.

Na Piarsaigh - P Kennedy; J Boylan, M Casey, K Kennedy; R Lynch, W O’Donoghue, C King; A Dempsey (0-2), G Brown (0-3); D Dempsey (1-0), S Dowling (0-12, 8f, 1'65), C Boylan; Adrian Breen (1-2), K Downes, P Casey (0-3). Subs: C Houlihan for A Dempsey, M Foley for C King, K Ryan for C Boylan.

Doon - C McNamara; B McPartland, R English, S Ryan; D Moloney, M O’Brien, E Kiely; J Ryan, J Hayes; P Cummins, D O’Donovan, D Stapleton; D Coleman (1-2), P Ryan (1-1), B Murphy (1-7, 0-7f). Subs: M Ryan for J Hayes, J Cummins for P Cummins, J Ryan for D Stapleton.

Referee - J O’Mahony.

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