Ballygunner 4-20 Passage 1-12
A powerful second half showing assured Ballygunner of a third successive Waterford senior hurling crown at Walsh Park, on a day when they simply had too much for neighbours Passage.
In front of a 3,811-strong attendance, and inspired by another outstanding display by the talismanic Pauric Mahony, the Gunners emulated the feats of their predecessors from the 1960s and 90s in securing this three-in-a-row success.
And having come through the Waterford series unbeaten, they’ll now set their sights on improving their provincial championship record when taking on Thurles Sarsfields on Sunday.
But Ballygunner didn’t have it all their own way. Playing with the strong first half wind, Passage sprung impressively from the blocks, with All Star nominee Noel Connors the first to find his range after six minutes.
The Peter Queally-managed challengers doubled their advantage through roaming wing-back Adam Roche, with another Connors - this time Owen - slotting over another point within a minute.
By the 10th minute, the men in red were four clear as Thomas Connors added to the list of familial point scorers after fine assistance by the veteran Conor Carey. And within a minute, Passage were five clear, as the advancing Jason Roche finished off a fine move instigated by Owen Connors.
Ballygunner finally got some red on their ledger through the excellent Mahony, when slotting over an 11th minute free, with the lively Peter Hogan doubling their tally from their very next attack.
Demonstrating the extent of the wind blowing towards the Keane’s Road end, Killian Fitzgerald bisected the uprights from his own 45-metre line, before former inter-county star Eoin Kelly availed of a poor short puck-out to restore Passage’s five-point advantage.
But that was as good as it got in the opening half from Passage’s perspective, as Denis Walsh’s side tagged on 2-4 during a dominant second quarter, which foreshadowed Ballygunner’s post-interval dominance. Tim O’Sullivan and Billy O’Keeffe found the Passage net to put the holders into a commanding position, but Passage, spurred on by both Noel and Thomas Connors, stayed in touch thanks to a brace of Killian Fitzgerald frees, and an Owen Connors set piece.
At the break, a composed Ballygunner led by 2-5 to 0-10 and by then, one sensed the News & Star Cup wasn’t set for a transfer to the champions’ neighbouring parish.
After the interval Ballygunner demonstrated their class, composure and cutting edge, adding 2-15 to their interval tally, with a spirited Passage mustering only 1-3, with Thomas Connors slotting home a consolation goal seven minutes from time.
Mahony kept the scoreboard operator busy, demonstrating unerring, wind assisted accuracy with his free-taking, and also found time to slam home a 52nd minute goal. Moments earlier, substitute Stephen Power unleashed an unstoppable drive beyond the over-worked Eddie Lynch, as the holders turned on the style, avenging their 2013 Final defeat to Passage.
“It was a dream of this group of players to match what Ballygunner teams had achieved in the 60s and 90s,” said victorious captain Brian O’Sullivan, “and we’ve done it today, and it was nice to get one back on Passage today after what happened in 2013.
“It was tough to score into that breeze, so Tim and Billy’s two goals were huge for us; we were a bit worried after 10 minutes when we were four or five points down and they’d had a bit of a run at us, but we kept going, our discipline was huge, and we didn’t panic.”
Ballygunner’s celebrations will have been somewhat tempered by their Munster Championship face-off with ‘Sars’ in Semple Stadium on Sunday next, the ground where their claimed their sole provincial title in 2001.
Ballygunner: S O'Keeffe; E Hayden, B Coughlan, I Kenny; H Barnes, Philip Mahony, S Walsh; P Hogan (0-3), S O'Sullivan; D O'Sullivan (0-1), B O'Keeffe (1-0), Pauric Mahony (1-11; 0-7f); C Power, B O'Sullivan (0-4), T O'Sullivan (1-0). Subs: W Hutchinson for B O'Keeffe (44), S Power (1-1) for H Barnes (48), M Mahony for C Power (52), JJ Hutchinson for T O'Sullivan (54), J McCarthy for P Hogan (55). Blood sub: W Hutchinson for B Coughlan (2-8 mins),
Passage: E Lynch; D Lynch, J Flood, A Roche (0-1); S Mason, N Connors (0-1), J Roche (0-1); P Walsh, S Hogan; O Connors (0-2; 0-1f), T Connors (1-1), K Fitzgerald (0-4; 0-3f); C Carey, E Kelly (0-2; 0-1f), G Cullinane. Subs J Whitty for G Cullinane (HT), R Hurley for C Carey (54), C O'Neill for K Fitzgerald (60+), P Flynn for S Mason (60+), P Donnellan for A Roche (60+).
