AIB Munster Club SHC semi-final: Late flourish seals win for Ballygunner
Ballygunner players Philip Mahony, right, and Harry Ruddle congratulated each other after their side's victory in the AIB Munster GAA Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final match between Ballygunner and Kilmallock at Azzurri Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile.
AIB Munster Club SHC semi-final
Ballygunner (Waterford) 1-20 (23) Kilmallock (Limerick) 1-11 (14)
By Jordan Norris at Azzurri Walsh Park
Eight unanswered points in the final ten minutes propelled Ballygunner into a ninth consecutive Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship final as Kilmallock’s spirited challenge ultimately fell short.
The Limerick champions had battled back to within a point on 49 minutes, trailing 1-12 to 1-11, but Ballygunner responded ruthlessly to secure another provincial decider.
Kilmallock began brightly, Pierce Connery opening the scoring inside a minute before Harry Ruddle levelled. Connery and Pauric Mahony traded points, while Mikey Mahony cancelled out another Connery effort as both sides matched each other’s intensity.
The opening half’s defining moment arrived after nine minutes. Patrick Fitzgerald collected Pauric Mahony’s delivery and forced an outstanding save from Conor Hanley-Clarke, only for Dessie Hutchinson to bury the rebound.
Connery kept Kilmallock in touch through frees and a point from play, while Shane O’Brien produced a superb solo effort. However, Hutchinson and Fitzgerald helped Ballygunner establish control, with a Pauric Mahony free leaving them 1-7 to 0-6 ahead at half-time.
Ballygunner resumed strongly. Peter Hogan, Mikey Mahony and Hutchinson struck three unanswered points, stretching their advantage to seven and threatening to end the contest early.
Kilmallock refused to fold. Hanley-Clarke and Connery landed frees, while Oisin O’Reilly registered after Ballygunner goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe had denied Hanley-Clarke from close range.
The contest erupted on 45 minutes when O’Brien dispossessed a defender and squared for O’Reilly, who rounded O’Keeffe and finished brilliantly. Suddenly, Kilmallock trailed just 1-11 to 1-9.
Pauric Mahony steadied Ballygunner with a free, but O’Reilly replied before Connery narrowed the deficit to the minimum with eleven minutes remaining.
That was as close as Kilmallock came.
Hogan began Ballygunner’s decisive scoring burst, although Hanley-Clarke produced two remarkable saves to prevent an immediate knockout blow. First, he denied Hutchinson following Fitzgerald’s inventive blind pass, then somehow blocked Kevin Mahony’s follow-up.
Pauric Mahony subsequently converted a free, Hutchinson pointed from distance and Mikey Mahony added another as Ballygunner finally broke their opponents’ resistance.
Substitute Mark Hartley also contributed before Pauric Mahony completed the scoring with two frees and a point from play.
Kilmallock’s work-rate, resilience and attacking invention had tested the Waterford champions for much of an absorbing contest, but Ballygunner’s superior composure and finishing ultimately told.
The victory marked their eighth successive triumph against Limerick opposition and kept alive their pursuit of a record seventh Munster crown against Thurles Sarsfields in two weeks’ time.
For Kilmallock, it was a cruel ending after an otherwise impressive provincial performance.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-7 (5fs), Dessie Hutchinson 1-4, Mikey Mahony 0-3, Peter Hogan 0-2, Harry Ruddle, Patrick Fitzgerald, Stephen O’Keeffe, Mark Hartley 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilmallock: Pierce Connery 0-7 (6fs), Oisin O’Reilly 1-2, Conor Hanley-Clarke 0-1 (1f), Shane O’Brien 0-1.
BALLYGUNNER: Stephen O’Keeffe; Aaron O’Neill, Ian Kenny, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Pauric Mahony, Peter Hogan; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Mikey Mahony.
Subs: Mark Hartley for Dessie Hutchinson (9, blood), Dessie Hutchinson for Mark Hartley (13), Mark Hartley for Conor Sheahan (53), Eoin Cuddihy for Pauric Mahony (60), Cormac Power for Ronan Power (60), Eoin O’Brien for Aaron O’Neill (60).
KILMALLOCK: Conor Hanley-Clarke; Aaron Costello, Robbie Egan, Jackie Dwane; Mark O’Loughlin, Ciaran O’Connor, Killian Hayes; Michaél Houlihan, Steven Quirke; Robbie Hanley, Shane O’Brien, Graeme Mulcahy; Pierce Connery, Phelim O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly.
Subs: Gearoid Enright for Mark O’Loughlin (40), Paudie O’Brien for Steven Quirke (53), Kevin O’Donnell for Robbie Hanley (57), Conor Staunton for Killian Hayes (60).
Referee: Niall Malone (Clare).
