Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Na Piarsaigh 3-15 Slaughtneil 3-8 IT’S PIAR PRESSURE
NA PIARSAIGH boss Shane O'Neill feared history was repeating itself at Parnell Park where the AIB All-Ireland club title favourites came from behind to win.
O'Neill was a player in 2012 when the Limerick outfit were shocked in the semi-final by Ulster champions Loughgiel Shamrocks.
They trailed the northern representatives by three at the interval this time and were reduced to 13 men following 33rd and 35th minute red cards.
Goalscorer Conor Boylan and defender Tommy Grimes were both dismissed for striking offences.
But the 2016 All-Ireland winners conjured their best hurling from there and Ronan Lynch's 14-point haul helped them secure another March 17 final date.
Boss O'Neill was "very worried" and admitted 2012 flashed through his mind. He said: "It did go through my head, it's gone through my head for the last 12 weeks to be honest. Semi-finals are awful to lose and we hadn't been back here at Parnell Park since."
Slaughtneil, chasing All-Ireland success on two fronts, led 2-6 to 1-6 at half-time after goals from Cormac O'Doherty and Brian Cassidy.
But nine wides came back to haunt them as Na Piarsaigh bossed the second-half and took the 33rd minute dismissal of Boylan, and Grimes' two minutes later, in their stride.
NA PIARSAIGH: P Kennedy; N Buckley, M Casey, J Boylan; A Dempsey, C King, T Grimes; R Lynch (0-14,110, W O'Donoghue; C Boylan (TO), 0 Breen, Dempsey; P Casey (0-1), K Downes (1-0), A Breen. Subs: K Kennedy for Grimes 24-25, S Dowling (1-0) for A Breen hit K Ryan for D Breen 55, Kennedy for Dempsey 56, 0 Brown for Downes 60 SLAUGHTNEIL: 0 O'Doherty; K McKaigue, S Cassidy, P McNeill; S McGuigan, C McKaigue 0-1, C McKenna; E Cassidy, M McGrath (0-1); B Rodgers (04), C °Doherty (1-3,1-Open, 20, M McGuigan; G Bradley (1-Oh B Cassidy (1-2), C McAllister. Subs: 0 O'Kane for McAllister 49. REF: J Keenan (Wicklow).