Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship Final

SHAMROCKS BALLYHALE 5-19 DICKSBORO 1-10

By Paul Keane at UPMC Nowlan Park

Back to back All-Ireland champions Ballyhale Shamrocks flexed their muscle in remarkable fashion at UPMC Nowlan Park, cruising to a three-in-a-row of Kilkenny SHC titles.

Eoin Reid's 2-2 blast and goals from Colin Fennelly, Brian Cody and Eoin Cody ensured a whopping 21-point win and an 18th Kilkenny crown.

Club legend Henry Shefflin stepped down as manager after retaining the All-Ireland earlier this year and new boss James O'Connor's first few months were ruined by the Covid-19 crisis.

But after a shaky start to the summer the team picked up form and turned in one of the great county final displays to burn off Dicksboro long before full-time.

They didn't even require reigning Young Hurler of the Year Adrian Mullen who wore number 25 but didn't feature having suffered cruciate knee ligament damage in February.

Ballyhale had 10 different scorers in total with TJ Reid accounting for 0-8 of their tally as they ran amok against the 2017 winners.

Ballyhale spoke beforehand of starting fast and they duly burst out of the blocks in front of the 200 attendance which included county manager Brian Cody.

Kilkenny attacker Bill Sheehan opened the scoring for Dicksboro in the fourth minute but it was a brief lead as Ballyhale quickly took over, dominating in most areas.

Ballyhale led by 0-5 to 0-1 in the 13th minute when Brian Cody struck their first goal to put serious daylight between the teams at an early stage.

That major came from a turnover in the Dicksboro defence when Tom Kenny was dispossessed after initially winning a long free in and Cody took full advantage with a clinical strike.

It was the worst possible start for Dicksboro whose defence looked vulnerable and Eoin Reid also poinched a Shamrocks point from a turnover.

Fennelly was stationed at full-forward for the holders and found himself isolated in a one-on-one with full-back Evan Cody on a number of occasions.

It was just what Fennelly would have wanted and he drew an early free that led to a TJ Reid point before escaping his man for a 21st minute goal.

The experienced Cats star repeated the habit of a lifetime by seizing possession and evading his marker with a neat turn before blasting home.

Dicksboro did respond with five of the next seven points before half-time but Ballyhale still led by an impressive 2-9 to 0-7 at the interval.

Dicskboro cursed their poor shooting with eight wides in the half and just two points from open play, via Sheehan and sub Andrew Gaffney.

Dicksboro had three of their subs used by the 33rd minute and clearly had a mountain to climb as they sought to secure a sixth title.

A strong third quarter from Ballyhale that included points from Joe Cuddihy and Darragh Corcoran stretched their lead before Eoin Reid swooped for his two goals in a 90-second spell.

His first came in the 50th minute and he followed up on a blocked effort from team-mate Eoin Cody to grab his second, and Ballyhale's fourth, shortly after.

Eoin Cody grabbed their fifth goal in the 53rd minute when he controlled a high ball in and then struck to the net.

There was a brief reprieve for Dicksboro when sub Andrew Gaffney tapped in a consolation goal but Ballyhale had the final say with a late score from sub Conor Walsh, setting the seal on a historic win.

Ballyhale Shamrocks scorers: Eoin Reid 2-2, TJ Reid 0-8 (3fs, 365s), Brian Cody 1-1, Eoin Cody 1-1, Colin Fennelly 1-0, Ronan Corcoran 0-3, Patrick Mullen 0-1, Joe Cuddihy 0-1, Darragh Corcoran 0-1, Conor Walsh 0-1

Dicksboro scorers: Shane Stapleton 0-7 (6fs, 165), Andrew Gaffney 1-1, Bill Sheehan 0-1, Evan Carroll 0-1.

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: Dean Mason; Brian Butler, Joey Holden, Darren Mullen; Darragh Corcoran, Richie Reid, Patrick Mullen; Evan Shefflin, Ronan Corcoran; Brian Cody, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody; Eoin Reid, Colin Fennelly, Joe Cuddihy.

Subs: Conor Walsh for Cuddihy (50), Eoin Kenneally for Eoin Reid (54), Gavin Butler for Brian Butler (56), Mark Aylward for Brian Cody (58), Kevin Mullen for Patrick Mullen (58).

DICKSBORO: Darragh Holohan; Conor Fitzpatrick, Evan Cody, Evan Carroll; Ollie Walsh, Cillian Buckley, Tom Kenny; Conor Doheny, Robbie Fitzpatrick; Chris Kavanagh, Shane Stapleton, Liam Moore; Bill Sheehan, Eoin Gough, Mark Nolan.

Subs: Oisin Gough for Kavanagh (26), Andrew Gaffney for Nolan (29), Aidan Nolan for Gough (33), Martin Gaffney for Moore (46), Michael Fagan for Fitzpatrick (57).

REFEREE: Ray Byrne (Glenmore).