Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-17

Patrickswell (Limerick) 0-9

Tomas McCarthy reports from Walsh Park

BALLYGUNNER WENT TO the well in the second half to make their third Munster final in a row this afternoon.

The defending provincial champions outpointed Patrickswell 10-3, in front of 1,967 spectators, to set up a showdown with Borris-Ileigh on November 24.

Four Michael Mahony points on the trot during the third quarter saw them pull clear of Ciaran Carey’s men. Dessie Hutchinson hit four in the first half and got a fifth two minutes from the end. He has scored a staggering 4-24 from play this season. Playmaker Pauric Mahony also had a high five.

Patrickswell were dealt a blow before the throw in as 2007 All Star keeper Brian Murray was ruled out with a back injury. Forward Jason Gillane, younger brother of Aaron, deputised between the posts. He lined out in that position for the Limerick under 20s this summer.

Hutchinson’s fab four gave the Gunners a 6-1 lead after 23 minutes. The Patrickswell defence couldn’t pin him down. At the other end, Stephen O’Keeffe saved from Cian Lynch and Barry Coughlan blocked the rebound.

Cian Lynch in action against Barry O'Sullivan. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

It took 20 minutes for the Limerick champions to register via Aaron Gillane. A Diarmuid Byrnes free from his own 45 prompted a Patrickswell purple patch. The visitors knocked over five of the last six points including the score of the day as Treaty trio Byrnes, Lynch and Gillane all linked up. Gillane’s fourth left them 7-6 down at the break.

Former Waterford minor captain Mahony then put on a shooting masterclass into the City End. He pointed within 25 seconds of the restart and added the next three during moving quarter. Patrickswell didn’t score again until the 44th minute as they clocked up thirteen wides.

Points from Peter Hogan, Barry O’Sullivan, Shane O’Sullivan and Dessie Hutchinson in the last quarter gave the Gunners a comfortable passage to their eleventh provincial decider.

Scorers for Ballygunner: Dessie Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony (4fs) 0-5 each, Michael Mahony 0-4, Peter Hogan, Barry O’Sullivan, Shane O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Patrickswell: Aaron Gillane 0-5 (3fs), Jack Kelleher 0-2, Diarmuid Byrnes (f), John Flynn 0-1.

Ballygunner

1. Stephen O’Keeffe

3. Ian Kenny
2. Eddie Hayden
4. Billy O’Keeffe

9. Shane O’Sullivan
6. Philip Mahony
7. Barry Coughlan

5. Conor Sheahan
15. Paddy Leavy

12. Barry O’Sullivan
11. Pauric Mahony
8. Michael Mahony

13. Peter Hogan
14. Tim O’Sullivan
10. Dessie Hutchinson

Subs

24. Kevin Mahony for Hogan (59)
23. JJ Hutchinson for Tim O’Sullivan (63)

Patrickswell

15. Jason Gillane

2. Seanie O’Brien
3. Nigel Foley
4. Tom Nolan

5. Mark Carmody
6. Diarmuid Byrnes
7. Paudie Maher

8. Josh Considine
9. Cian Lynch

13. Aaron Gillane
11. Tom O’Brien
12. John Flynn

10. Jack Kelleher
23. Andrew Carroll
14. Kevin O’Brien

Subs

18. Paul O’Brien for Carroll (42)
20. Lar Considine for Tom O’Brien (47)

Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork) 

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