Eoin Cody fires 1-5 as Ballyhale shake off Dunloy challenge to land All-Ireland title

LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan 2023

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 1-22

Dunloy Cúchullains (Antrim) 1-15

A FAMILIAR TALE on All-Ireland club final day, Ballyhale’s blend of experience and hurling prowess mixing together to land the silverware.

Eoin Cody and Oran Quinn. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

They shook off a stubborn and determined challenge of Antrim’s Dunloy here at Croke Park. The memories of their nightmare finale last February when Ballygunner stunned them with a goal at the death, may have floated through when Dunloy came within a point at the 50th minute mark.

But the Kilkenny champions had more composure and range of scoring options when the game entered the critical phase. They outscored Dunloy 0-8 to 0-2 in that final period and had a seven-point advantage to reflect on at full-time.

It wasn’t a game that felt as comfortable for Ballyhale as the scoreline suggested but their late power play was too much for Dunloy to handle. A ninth All-Ireland senior title then for the Kilkenny powerhouse, a fourth since 2015 alone, while Dunloy must absorb the pain of a fifth final defeat in the club’s history. 

TJ Reid and Kevin Molloy. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Dunloy excelled for large parts of this game. They got the tonic of a wonderful moment early on, shipping the opening point of the game to Ballyhale’s Joey Cuddihy and then firing back with a superb goal in the next passage of play. 

Keelan Molloy arrowed in a crossfield ball, Conal Cunning gathered and popped it to Ronan Molloy, who met it at pace, brushed off a bunch of defensive challenges and found the space to rifle a shot across Dean Mason to the net.

Dunloy had other scoring touches in the first half, Oran Quinn and Paul Shiels clipping tidy points, while Seann Elliott and free-taker Cunning raised the last two white flags to leave them trailing 1-9 to 1-7 at the interval.

Yet the first half hinted which way this was going to go. Adrian Mullen was absent with a damaged hamstring but the rest of Ballyhale’s leading lights in attack chipped in. TJ Reid finished with 0-7, his only score from play was a glorious shot under the Hogan Stand five minutes in. Colin Fennelly finished with two points, was a typically powerful focal point and set up Eoin Cody’s goal.

That finish was bundled home by Cody in the 15th minute and he came close to rattling the net twice more, repelled by impressive reaction saves from Ryan Elliott. He finished with 1-5, a reflection of his sterling afternoon’s work. Aside from that star triumvirate, Ballyhale had eight different players who contributed a point from play. 

That depth in the scoring charts was something Dunloy couldn’t replicate. They were a dogged unit though, refusing to cave in during the second half and making this a sticky match for the Shamrocks.

Ronan Molloy celebrates scoring his goal for Dunloy. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

At different stages the Dunloy support began to dream of a famous day as they cheered scores. Keelan Molloy and Cunning pointed to leave the game delicately balanced at 1-13 to 1-12 at the three-quarter mark. TJ nudged Ballyhale two clear, Ronan Molloy responded with a good score.

But Dunloy had snatched at a few chances before that, a lack of composure hurting them the further up the field they went. Ballyhale eventually tapped into a groove, reeling off the last four points of the game in injury time.

The Shamrocks celebrate once more.

Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: Eoin Cody 1-5, TJ Reid 0-7 (0-3 ’65, 0-3f), Colin Fennelly 0-2, Killian Corcoran 0-1, Evan Shefflin 0-1, Darragh Corcoran 0-1, Ronan Corcoran 0-1, Paddy Mullen 0-1, Eoin Kenneally 0-1, Joey Cuddihy 0-1, Brian Cody 0-1.

Scorers for Dunloy: Conal Cunning 0-7 (0-7f), Ronan Molloy 1-1, Paul Shiels 0-2, Oran Quinn 0-1, Eamon Smyth 0-1, Keelan Molloy 0-1, Seann Elliott 0-1, Nicky McKeague 0-1.

Ballyhale Shamrocks

1. Dean Mason

2. Killian Corcoran, 3. Joey Holden, 4. Brian Butler

5. Evan Shefflin, 6. Richie Reid, 7. Darragh Corcoran

8. Ronan Corcoran (captain), 9. Paddy Mullen

12. Eoin Cody, 11. TJ Reid, 15. Joey Cuddihy

13. Eoin Kenneally, 14. Colin Fennelly, 21. Niall Shortall

Subs

• 31. Brian Cody for Shorthall (51)

• 17. Darren Mullen for Killian Corcoran (59)

Dunloy

1. Ryan Elliott

2. Phelim Duffin, 3. Ryan McGarry, 4. Oran Quinn

17. Conor Kinsella, 9. Eoin McFerran, 7. Eamon Smyth

8. Paul Shiels, 6. Kevin Molloy

10. Ronan Molloy, 12. Nigel Elliott, 13. Keelan Molloy

20. Nicky McKeague, 14. Conal Cunning, 15. Seann Elliott

Subs

• 21. Decky Smith for McKeague (45)

• 23. Chrissy McMahon for Nigel Elliott (54)

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

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