Division 2 HL: Kevin Moynihan magic helps Na Piarsaigh edge Erin’s Own
Kevin Moynihan of Na Piarsaigh is chased down by Ronan Twomey of Erins Own, during their SHL clash at Caherlag. Picture: David Keane
A moment of brilliance from Kevin Moynihan proved decisive as Na Piarsaigh edged Erin’s Own in a dramatic RedFM Division 2 Hurling League clash on Tuesday night in Caherlag.
Permutations can be a funny thing. A win tonight would have secured promotion for Erin’s Own, and made Friday night’s meeting of Killeagh and Midleton a de facto semi-final.
But instead, it’s Midleton who are set for the step up – barring a remarkable scoring swing – after Na Piarsaigh, fighting to avoid relegation, dug deep to grab a crucial win over Erin’s Own. The Caherlag side now need the Magpies to overcome Killeagh to secure Division 1 hurling for 2026.
Despite never trailing, the northsiders were made to scrap for everything. Erin’s Own drew level twice in the first half and came close to doing so again late on when Ronan Twomey’s point left just one in it, 0-16 to 1-14, on 53 minutes.
But Na Piarsaigh finished stronger. Cian Hogan and Keith Buckley worked exceptionally hard, while Kevin Moynihan was the star turn. He assisted Craig Hanafin for a 57th-minute score and moments later nailed his second outrageous sideline cut of the game to stretch the lead to three.
Daire Connery added a free, and although Barry Óg Murphy hit back straight from the puckout, the goal Erin’s Own desperately needed never came.
They’d clawed their way back from a 1-11 to 0-6 half-time deficit, landing the first two scores of the second half. Finn O’Brien almost netted early on, only to be denied by Jack Lonergan. It was one of several costly missed chances on a frustrating night, as the hosts racked up 13 wides compared to Na Piarsaigh’s nine.
Moynihan’s first sideline cut was the pick of two excellent Na Piarsaigh third-quarter scores, but Erin’s Own rattled off the next three to close the gap to two. The visitors responded with a gem: Lonergan went long to Pa Rourke, who found Kevin Sheehan, and he teed up Hanafin for a spectacular point from the right wing.
There were more chances for the hosts: Barry Óg Murphy pointed again, but Ciarán Flynn produced a brilliant block to deny Conor Lenihan a goal. Eoghan Murphy converted the resulting 65 and had been superb, but saw a goal opportunity go wide three minutes later – another key miss.
Erin’s Own had three more goal chances in the first half, two well-struck efforts from Lenihan and a tamer one from O’Brien, all kept out by Luke Donovan.
Na Piarsaigh stormed into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after six minutes, but Erin’s Own recovered well to make it 0-5 apiece by the 21st. Then came a six-point burst from the visitors. They followed that up with the game’s only goal – Hanafin picked out Moynihan under pressure, who blasted into the top corner to give his side a cushion they never relinquished.
E Murphy 0-11 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), C Lenihan, B Óg Murphy 0-2 each, F O’Brien, R Twomey 0-1 each.
K Moynihan 1-4 (0-2 sdl), D Connery 0-6 (0-4 f), E Galvin, C Hanafin 0-3 each, C Meaney 0-1.
A Bowen; C O’Connor, C Dooley, R O’Regan; S Broderick, C Dunphy, J O’Carroll; B Óg Murphy, S Power; M O’Carroll, F O’Brien, R Twomey; A O’Sullivan, E Murphy, C Lenihan.
S Kelly for Power (48), S Foley for O’Sullivan (56), T Connell for B Óg Murphy (temp).
L Donovan; P Murphy, C Flynn, S O’Mahony; K Buckley, C Buckley, K Sheehan; G Healy, C Meaney; K Moynihan, D Connery, C Horgan; E Galvin, P Rourke, C Hanafin Subs: J Lonergan for Donovan (HT), E Kidney for Healy (48), A Dennehy for O’Mahony (55).
Patrick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain)
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