FOR A CLUB that has endured too many tough Munster hurling final days for their liking, this was an occasion for Ballygunner to triumph in style.
Gavin O'Mahony and Philip Mahony in action. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
They ripped Limerick champions Kilmallock apart in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this afternoon, landing their third Munster club title with a truly sublime display.
Dessie Hutchinson hit 1-5 and Pauric Mahony scored 0-7, the chief twin architects of this success, while Kevin Mahony and Billy O’Keeffe notched the third-quarter goals that rounded off this success. O’Keeffe finished with 1-3 to his name and all six forwards scored from play.
It was Hutchinson who really caught the eye from the moment he plundered that early goal with his sharp movement, crisp first touch and accurate shooting proving a mix that Kilmallock could not cope with.
The Limerick kingpins lost a provincial final for the first time in their club’s history. They popped over two early points from Graeme Mulcahy and Robbie Hanley but it was a deceiving start as areas of concern flared for Kilmallock thereafter and they were always chasing this game.
They only added three points in the remainder of the first half after the 2nd minute of the game. They lost Micheal Houlihan, a critical component of their attack, to injury in the 25th minute and not long after he had lofted over a stunning point from the sideline.
Ballygunner were awesome in that opening period, coasting clear 1-11 to 0-5 by the interval. Pauric Mahony hit six points in that time frame, they had five scorers in total and Hutchinson pounced on a 9th minute break to lash home a fine goal. The Waterford danger man could have added a second goal moments later but Barry Hennessy produced a stunning save to force a ’65, that Mahony converted.
Ballygunner's Conor Sheehan and Kilmallock's Ciaran O'Connor. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
That midway advantage of nine points that Ballygunner enjoyed was fattened out to 15 by the second-half water break. Mahony and O’Keeffe both opportunistically finished to the net for the goals that shoved Ballygunner out of sight and left Kilmallock in a forlorn state.
Tony Considine’s men tried to limit the damage. Substitute Conor Hanley blasted in two rockets from play that resulted in a pair of extraordinary saves from Stephen O’Keeffe. Hanley did find the net in injury-time from a 20-yard free but by that stage Ballygunner had emptied their bench, readied themselves for celebrations and started contemplating a meeting in a fortnight with Derry’s Slaughtneil as an All-Ireland assault begins.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Dessie Hutchinson 1-5, Pauric Mahony 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Billy O’Keeffe 1-3, Kevin Mahony 1-0, Paddy Leavey, Peter Hogan 0-2 each, Mikey Mahony 0-1.
Scorers for Kilmallock: Conor Hanley 1-1 (1-0 free), Kevin O’Donnell 0-3 (0-2f), Robbie Hanley 0-2, Ciaran O’Connor, Micheal Houlihan, Graeme Mulcahy, Pheilim O’Reilly, Killian Hayes 0-1 each.
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Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
4. Tadhg Foley, 3. Barry Coughlan (joint captain), 2. Ian Kenny
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Ballygunner turn on the style to score 3-20 and win Munster hurling final by 14 points
Ballygunner 3-20
Kilmallock 1-12
FOR A CLUB that has endured too many tough Munster hurling final days for their liking, this was an occasion for Ballygunner to triumph in style.
They ripped Limerick champions Kilmallock apart in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this afternoon, landing their third Munster club title with a truly sublime display.
Dessie Hutchinson hit 1-5 and Pauric Mahony scored 0-7, the chief twin architects of this success, while Kevin Mahony and Billy O’Keeffe notched the third-quarter goals that rounded off this success. O’Keeffe finished with 1-3 to his name and all six forwards scored from play.
It was Hutchinson who really caught the eye from the moment he plundered that early goal with his sharp movement, crisp first touch and accurate shooting proving a mix that Kilmallock could not cope with.
The Limerick kingpins lost a provincial final for the first time in their club’s history. They popped over two early points from Graeme Mulcahy and Robbie Hanley but it was a deceiving start as areas of concern flared for Kilmallock thereafter and they were always chasing this game.
They only added three points in the remainder of the first half after the 2nd minute of the game. They lost Micheal Houlihan, a critical component of their attack, to injury in the 25th minute and not long after he had lofted over a stunning point from the sideline.
Ballygunner were awesome in that opening period, coasting clear 1-11 to 0-5 by the interval. Pauric Mahony hit six points in that time frame, they had five scorers in total and Hutchinson pounced on a 9th minute break to lash home a fine goal. The Waterford danger man could have added a second goal moments later but Barry Hennessy produced a stunning save to force a ’65, that Mahony converted.
That midway advantage of nine points that Ballygunner enjoyed was fattened out to 15 by the second-half water break. Mahony and O’Keeffe both opportunistically finished to the net for the goals that shoved Ballygunner out of sight and left Kilmallock in a forlorn state.
Tony Considine’s men tried to limit the damage. Substitute Conor Hanley blasted in two rockets from play that resulted in a pair of extraordinary saves from Stephen O’Keeffe. Hanley did find the net in injury-time from a 20-yard free but by that stage Ballygunner had emptied their bench, readied themselves for celebrations and started contemplating a meeting in a fortnight with Derry’s Slaughtneil as an All-Ireland assault begins.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Dessie Hutchinson 1-5, Pauric Mahony 0-7 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Billy O’Keeffe 1-3, Kevin Mahony 1-0, Paddy Leavey, Peter Hogan 0-2 each, Mikey Mahony 0-1.
Scorers for Kilmallock: Conor Hanley 1-1 (1-0 free), Kevin O’Donnell 0-3 (0-2f), Robbie Hanley 0-2, Ciaran O’Connor, Micheal Houlihan, Graeme Mulcahy, Pheilim O’Reilly, Killian Hayes 0-1 each.
Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
4. Tadhg Foley, 3. Barry Coughlan (joint captain), 2. Ian Kenny
7. Ronan Power, 6. Philip Mahony (joint captain), 5. Shane O’Sullivan
8. Conor Sheahan, 9. Paddy Leavey
12. Peter Hogan, 15. Pauric Mahony, 11. Mikey Mahony
10. Dessie Hutchinson, , 13. Billy O’Keeffe, 14. Kevin Mahony
Subs
22. Conor Power for Hogan (54)
21. Eddie Hayden for Shane O’Sullivan (56)
17. Harry Ruddle for Billy O’Keeffe (57)
18. Jake Foley for Hutchinson (59)
19. Barry O’Sullivan for Pauric Mahony (59)
Kilmallock
1. Barry Hennessy
2. Liam English, 3. Mark O’Loughlin, 4. Dan Joy
7. Paudie O’Brien, 6. Ciaran O’Connor, 5. Phillip O’Loughlin (captain)
8. Robbie Hanley, 9. Aaron Costello
10. Micheal Houlihan, 11. Oisin O’Reilly, 12. David Woulfe
13. Graeme Mulcahy, 14. Gavin O’Mahony, 15. Kevin O’Donnell
Subs
17. Paddy O’Loughlin for Houlihan (inj) (25)
18. Conor Hanley for Philip O’Loughlin (half-time)
21. Robbie Egan for O’Mahony (44)
22. Pheilim O’Reilly for Woulfe (44)
23. Killian Hayes for Costello (51)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
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Ballygunner gunning for glory Hurling Kilmallock Munster