Michael Sheehan hits 1-16 as Na Piarsaigh defeat Sliabh Rua in U18 Premier 2 final
Na Piarsaigh's Michael Sheehan is tackle by Sliabh Rua's Oisin Whyte during the Rebel Óg U18 P2 Hurling final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
NA PIARSAIGH secured the Rebel Óg U18 Premier 2 Hurling Championship title with a convincing final performance against Sliabh Rua at Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night.
Michael Sheehan was in simply outstanding form for Piarsaigh, scoring a total of 1-16 in this decider, which proved to be a major launchpad to his side’s victory.
It capped off a fine few days for Na Piarsaigh, who added to their Premier 1 U16 HC success at the weekend.
Sliabh Rua got off to the most perfect of starts when a long ball forward by Jack Deasy evaded the grasp of Na Piarsaigh keeper Conor Hennessy and into the back of the net.
Soon after, Michael Sheehan kept his composure to get Piarsaigh up and running from a free.
Sliabh got well-taken points from Donnacha Desmond around the 10th-minute mark, with Sheehan keeping the Piarsaigh scoreboard ticking over.
Then Sliabh Rua struck for a second goal of the evening and in some style. After Deasy played a neat pass into his path, Matthew Higgins blasted the ball into the roof of the net from the right-hand side.
Piarsaigh were not to be knocked, as Sheehan continued to keep the scores flowing both from frees and from play.
Donnacha Desmond slotted over another Sliabh score, in what was developing into a compelling contest. Given the outstanding opening half he was having, it was fitting that Sheehan got the goal that put Piarsaigh ahead. He found the net with a suburb drilled effort to the corner.
Na Piarsaigh led at the halftime break on a 1-12 to 2-5 scoreline, at the end of a great opening half of hurling.
Sean Downey got the opening point of the second half for Piarsaigh with a sweet strike, while Callum O’Leary and Sheehan also got early points after the restart.
Sliabh reduced the gap between the sides down to four points through further scores from Higgins. But they went close through two great goal opportunities.
First of all from a penalty by Eoin O’Donovan which was saved impressively by Conor Hennessy in the Piarsaigh net, before Cian Barry saw his suburb effort also saved by the Piarsaigh shot-stopper.
That proved a crucial turning point, as Piarsaigh drove on in the latter stages of the contest.
Just as he started this evening, Sheehan ended proceedings with yet further evidence of his fine scoring abilities. In truth at times, it was a masterclass. While Downey got a late Piarsaigh goal in stoppage time.
Although Sliabh Rua ensured this clash was a competitive one for large spells, in the end, there could be no disputing that Na Piarsaigh were the deserving champions.
M Sheehan (0-12 f) 1-16, S Downey 1-2, J Scanlon, D Doherty, C O’Leary, L O’Driscoll, S Kelleher 0-1 each.
M Higgins (0-5 f) 1-5, J Deasy 1-0, E O’Donovan, D Desmond 0-2 each, F Desmond 0-1 each.
C Hennessy; D McNally, J Murray, A Burke; J Scanlon, S O’Mahony, P Lehane; L Sheehan, S P Cooke; R O’Sullivan, S Downey, M Sheehan; D Doherty, C O’Leary, C Hogan.
L O’Driscoll for Lehane (45), C Bowen for L Sheehan (46), P Hosford for McNally (50), S Kelleher for Doherty (56).
E O’Donovan; R Stewart, N Good, O Whyte; C Lordan, P Dorney, D Murphy; J Deasy, F Desmond; R Deasy, M Higgins, C Kelleher; E Cummins, C Barry, D Desmond.
B Lynch for Deasy (h-t), B Lynch for Cummins (54), E Deasy for Barry (57).
Ciaran O’Regan (Ballyhea).
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