Ballygunner 1-24
De La Salle 1-15

Tomas McCarthy reports from Walsh Park

EIGHT UNANSWERED POINTS in the final quarter secured six Waterford senior hurling titles in a row for Ballygunner this afternoon.

Challengers De La Salle threatened an upset when they closed within two with the wind at their backs. The champions shot five points in a two minute blitz to lift the siege. They are now 33 matches undefeated in the Déise. The reigning Munster club champions will now play Sixmilebridge in their provincial opener.

In his first county final, Dessie Hutchinson was named man of the match with 1-3 from play. He finished the season on 3-17. Pauric Mahony knocked over six frees and six from play to bring his 2019 total to 69 points.

Midfielder Conor Sheahan popped over two points in a busy display while joint captain Philip Mahony was a solid presence at centre back. Kevin Moran, Jake Dillon, Eddie Meaney and Cormac McCann stood out for Salle.

The underdogs won the toss but decided to play against a stiff breeze. The Gunners eased into a nine point lead inside the first quarter as Salle’s short game crumbled under pressure.

Hutchinson goaled in the fifth minute after he was picked out by Michael Mahony. Five Pauric Mahony points (three from play) left them 1-7 to 0-1 in front. Thomas Douglas and Jake Dillon struck points for De La Salle before Eddie Meaney reignited their challenge with a goal on 20 minutes, his fifth of the season.

Two points from Meaney and one each by Dillon and Jack Fagan cut the arrears to three approaching the interval. Mahony had the last two points of the half, to increase his tally to eight, as Darragh O’Sullivan’s men headed to the dressing rooms five ahead (1-11 to 1-6).

Peter Hogan pushed it out to six on the restart. Salle moved back within four as Fagan, Adam Farrell and Cormac McCann all split the posts (1-13 to 1-9). The champions responded through Conor Sheahan and Mahony.

The 2012 winners got the next three however. Shane McNulty nailed a ’65, McCann hit his third and Meaney added another (1-15 to 1-13).

The Gunners held their nerve. Five unanswered points in the space of two minutes put this final to bed. Paddy Leavy, Barry O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony and two from Peter Hogan sent them 1-20 to 1-13 ahead and out of sight. Three more followed through Mahony, Hutchinson and Conor Power.

Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-12 (0-6f), Dessie Hutchinson 1-3, Peter Hogan 0-3, Conor Sheahan 0-2, Barry O’Sullivan, Tim O’Sullivan, Paddy Leavy, Conor Power 0-1 each.

Scorers for De La Salle: Eddie Meaney 1-3, Jack Fagan, Cormac McCann, Jake Dillon 0-3 each, Shane McNulty (65), Adam Farrell, Eddie Meaney 0-1 each.

Ballygunner

1. Stephen O’Keeffe

3. Ian Kenny
2. Eddie Hayden
7. Barry Coughlan

9. Shane O’Sullivan
6. Philip Mahony
4. Billy O’Keeffe

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

20 Conor Power for Tim O’Sullivan (45)
25. Wayne Hutchinson for Sheahan (60)
23. JJ Hutchinson for Leavy (60)
17. Barry Power for Billy O’Keeffe (62)

De La Salle

1. Shaun O’Brien

2. Ryan Duke
3. Conor Giles Doran
4. Michael Doherty

5. Shane McNulty
6. Kevin Moran
7. Tom Moran

8. Eddie Barrett
9. Adam Farrell

11. Jake Dillon
12. Jack Fagan
10. Paidi Nevin

15. Cormac McCann
14. Thomas Douglas
13. Eddie Meaney

Subs

18. Shane Ryan for Nevin (45)
17. Dean Twomey for Farrell (51)

Referee: Michael O’Brien

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