Ahane confirmed their status at the top level of Limerick hurling for 2026 after beating Patrickswell by 1-21 to 2-14 in Claughaun.

Ten points from Limerick star Tom Morrissey put Ahane in with a chance of a quarter-final spot with one game to play in the group stage of the senior hurling championship.

Patrickswell, as a result of this defeat, will be demoted to Group 2  of the championship for 2026.

Ahane got off to a flying start to lead by eight points but goals from Diarmaid Byrnes and Kevin O’Brien saw Patrickswell lead at the break.

However, Ahane bossed the second half with both Dan and Tom Morrissey to the fore, to earn a precious win.

Thomas O’Brien opened the scoring for Patrickswell after just 10 seconds but Ahane hit back with Tom Morrissey, Ronan Foxe (2), Will McCormack and Jack Cosgrave putting them 0-5 to 0-1 ahead.

Cosgrave added a second before Cian Lynch got a second point for Patrickswell from what looked to be a handpass.

Ahane hit back immediately with their goal. John O’Connor benefitted from a slip to take possession 60 metres from goal and hit the net from close range after running in unopposed. That put Ahane 1-7 to 0-2 clear with 13 minutes played.

Patrickswell eventually settled into the game with Jack Kelleher, Cian Fitzgerald and Mark Carmody all registering points.

Tom Morrissey and Cosgrave continued to keep things ticking over for Ahane but the game changed when Byrnes flashed a 20-metre free to the net on 20 minutes.

That brought the gap back to just a point and Byrnes tried to repeat the trick just before the half-time whistle but his effort was stopped, only for Kevin O’Brien to finish from the rebound and see his side lead 2-9 to 1-9 at half-time.

Ahane were quick out of the blocks again when the game resumed with three on the bounce seeing them square the game for a second time.

Tom Morrissey put them in front once again seven minutes into the second half and it was an advantage they never relinquished.

Foxe and Tom Morrissey soon had that lead at three points as they began to turn the screw heading into the final quarter.

Patrickswell’s cause wasn’t helped 10 minutes from time when Kevin O’Brien received a straight red card for an off the ball incident involving Andy Rowsome and with that went their hopes of a late comeback.

Scorers for Ahane: T Morrissey 0-10 (6f), J Cosgrave 0-4, J O’Connor 1-0, R Foxe 0-3, W McCormack 0-2, M Donnellan and D Morrissey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Patrickswell: J Kelleher 0-6 (4f), D Byrnes (f) and K O’Brien 1-0 each, C Lynch 0-2, T O’Brien, C Fitzgerald, M Carmody, H Maher, J Higgins and S O’Brien 0-1 each.

AHANE: C Ryan; A Rowsome, P Harnett, G Rowsome; D Minihan, D Morrissey, C Barry; C Ryan, C Heffernan; J O’Connor, T Morrissey, R Foxe; M Donnellan, W McCormack, J Cosgrave.

Subs: S O’Grady for Heffernan (h-t), K Morrissey for McCormack (47), C Bickford for A Rowsome (51), J Rennison for Foxe (57).

PATRICKSWELL: J Gillane; K Lynch, N Foley, E Harmon; C Fitzgerald, D Byrnes, H Maher; E Fitzgerald, T O’Brien; J Higgins, J Murray, J Kelleher; K O’Brien, C Lynch, M Carmody.

Subs: J Carrig for Harmon (13), L Fitzgerald for Higgins (45), S O’Brien for Murray (54), A Carroll for Carmody (57).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Bruree).