Munster Express Online

The curtain may have finally fallen on Passage’s historic season at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday last, but they exited the Munster Club Championships with their heads held high in defeat to Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh.

Despite finding the net three times, the Waterford champions were undone by the point-scoring quality of a Na Piarsaigh side that’s raised 38 white flags in their two provincial outings to date.

Kevin Downes got Na Piarsaigh off the mark after 98 seconds after a smart pass from Shane Dowling, with Thomas Connors finding a quick reply for Passage after intercepting a David Breen clearance.

And things got even better for Passage just 30 seconds later when Connors’ 60-metre delivery from wide on the right slipped through the fingers of Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper Padraic Kennedy and into the net.

Wing forward Adrian Breen whipped over a fine point for Na Piarsaigh following an excellent Kieran Kennedy pass after four minutes, before Kevin Downes pointed following a fine save from Passage netminder Eddie Lynch.

In the eighth minute, Eoin Kelly reacted well to a blocked 21-metre free of his to steer the ball over the bar, with Adrian Breen mustering an instant reply from the Limerick champions’ next attack. It was frenetic, lively and entertaining stuff, perfectly in tune with this most compelling of hurling years.

Pat Gleeson was felled in possession after 11 minutes, thus providing Shane Dowling with a routine free from which he opened his afternoon’s account.

And Na Piarsaigh were denied a goal 90 seconds later thanks to a magnificent Eddie Lynch save, who lunged low to his left to steer David Dempsey’s shot away after a superb catch and pass from Adrian Breen.

And Lynch made a third excellent save on the quarter-hour when batting away a Shane Dowling shot, before Kevin Downes sent his third point over the crossbar to send Na Piarsaigh in front. His midfield colleague William O’Donoghue doubled their advantage seconds later as the men in sky blue strengthened their foothold in the contest.

Owen Connors ended Passage’s 10-minute wait for a point when striking a free from just inside the halfway line between the uprights and he repeated the trick via a 20th minute 65’.

But again the Shannonsiders’ response was swift, as Shane Dowling finished off a delightful four pass move to register their eighth point of an end-to-end encounter.

From the next Passage attack, a deep ball struck by Mitchell Baldwin saw Eoin Kelly jink past full-back Cathal King, only for King to illegally grasp Kelly’s hurley, which left referee Colm Lyons correctly awarding a penalty.

The former All-Star dusted himself off and blasted the ball into the net to send Passage two points clear after 23 minutes.

Three minutes later, Kevin Downes took off on a surging run down the left wing to send a blistering shot over the bar, once again leaving only one point between these well-matched opponents. And full-forward Pat Gleeson restored parity with another finely despatched point in the 29^th minute.

Kevin Downes was clearly goalbound on the stroke of half-time only to see his run illegally impeded (and with no advantage offered his way either it should be noted).

But it did give Shane Dowling a routine free to steady his nerves after three successive misses, which sent Na Piarsaigh back in front just before the interval.

Twenty seconds after the restart, Lynch again blocked smartly to maintain his clean sheet, but Kevin Downes wasn’t to be denied in the 32^nd minute after some fantastic blocking at either end during a full-blooded passage of play.

In the 36^th minute, Rory Walsh was hauled to the deck by Michael Casey after another magnificent phase of play to earn Passage a second penalty, but Eoin Kelly’s shot was steered wide thanks to Cathal King’s magnificent block. This rip-roaring contest showed no signs of relenting.

Two minutes later, Pat Gleeson steered over another superbly appointed score for Na Piarsaigh and had it not been for a magnificent Pa Walsh block, Adrian Breen would surely have goaled in the 40^th minute.

But Gleeson soon sent over another marvellously struck point, his third of the day, as the Limerick champions moved into control, while Passage longed for a point having drawn a 20-minute blank.

On the three-quarter mark, Eddie Lynch again saved brilliantly from Kieran Kennedy, as Na Piarsaigh punched another hole in Passage’s right flank, with Kennedy eventually pointing after Passage failed to clear.

By then it felt as if the men in red were somewhat hanging on, but their sizeable travelling support were buoyed by a 46^th minute point by Killian Fitzgerald, Passage’s player of the year in my view.

But, with a spirit and heart that has typified their year, back came Passage again, as John Whitty brilliantly goaled following a superb solo run from Thomas Connors, who glided along the wet sod en route to the target. Once again, only a point separated the sides in this most captivating contest.

Within 30 seconds of replacing Rory Walsh, substitute Joe McClean levelled the contest, only for Shane Dowling to restore Na Piarsaigh’s lead just shy of the 49^th minute.

But back, yet again came Passage through Owen Connors as they found an instant reply of their own in a contest you simply couldn’t take your eyes off.

Nine minutes from time, John Whitty’s shot deflected off Cathal King for a Passage 65’, which Owen Connors steered between the posts to send the Deise champions a point ahead. Shane Dowling’s 53^rd minute free brought the sides level again after Pa Walsh had picked up a yellow card, and Adrian Breen’s point sent the ‘home’ side back in front two minutes later as the clock wore down.

Killian Fitzgerald, with a terrific drop of the shoulders, sent Cathal King the wrong way before landing a smashing point between the posts with barely four minutes remaining and one wondered were we destined for a replay. Alas, that proved to be Passage’s final score in a contest they contributed magnificently to.

Alan Dempsey, fed by the excellent Dowling, sent over another cracking point in the 58^th minute as Na Piarsaigh edged back in front before Kevin Downes struck a John Mullane-type point from the left flank as the match edged into injury time. An inspirational score for Na Piarsaigh. Heartbreaking for Passage.

It was a fitting way to conclude such a gripping hour of hurling, and while Passage exited Munster without glory, they did so with plenty of guts.

Passage: Eddie Lynch; Jason Roche, Mark Wyse, Joseph Upton; Pa Walsh, Stephen Mason, Mitchell Baldwin; Killian Fitzgerald, John Whitty; Owen Connors, Conor Carey, Thomas Connors; Rory Walsh, Eoin Kelly, Sean Hogan.

Scorers: Owen Connors (1-4; 0-2 65, 0-1f); Eoin Kelly (1-1; 1-0 pen); John Whitty (1-0), Killian Fitzgerald (0-2); Thomas Connors and Joe McClean (0-1 each). 

Substitute: Joe McClean for Rory Walsh (48 mins).  

Na Piarsaigh: Padraic Kennedy; Niall Buckley, Cathal King, Michael Casey; Alan Dempsey, David Breen, James O’Brien; Shane Dowling, William O’Donoghue; Kieran Kennedy, Kevin Downes, David Dempsey; Kevin Ryan, Pat Gleeson, Adrian Breen. 

Substitutes: Brian Hartnett for James O’Brien and John Madden for Kieran Kennedy (both 53 mins) and Aidan Hennessy for Pat Gleeson (59).

Scorers: Kevin Downes (0-6), Shane Dowling (0-5; 0-3f), Adrian Breen and Pat Gleeson (0-2 each), Kieran Kennedy, Alan Dempsey and William O’Donoghue (0-1 each).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).