Waterford SHC final/Mount sion 4-14 Ballygunner 4-7: In Waterford you find Mount Sion and Ballygunner typify the difference between playing for club and county. Not so much about pride as prejudice; both teams firmly believe in their right to win. And they don't particularly like each other, their rivalry now a central part of their hurling history.

So yesterday in Walsh Park they came to settle another county title. Between them they'd won the previous 10 - and evenly divided at five each. For just over half of this one it seemed little would separate them, but Mount Sion cut loose, claiming 10 points in a blinding four-minute spell shortly into the second half.

That the city club eventually wore down the club from the city outskirts was deserved, and largely expected. Mount Sion have thus won the last three in succession, and this was their 34th. Whatever edge might develop between the two clubs is now in Mount Sion's hands.

For Ballygunner, the added motivation of a 50th anniversary just wasn't sufficient. More importantly, they missed the motivation of their best forward, Paul Flynn, suspended after the semi-final. Flynn's absence was frequently highlighted by Ballygunner's slack free-taking, and in ending up with 14 wides (compared to Mount Sion's eight) they'll know his loss was telling.

In the end it was hard to imagine how Ballygunner could have survived. When they hit full stride Mount Sion looked lethal, their 2-4 between the sixth and 10th minutes of the second half ultimately securing victory. But such dominance always loomed, with players like Tony Browne and Ken McGrath and Eoin Kelly mostly playing at half speed. Whenever they upped it they were a class apart.

"I always felt we were capable of stepping up a gear," admitted Mount Sion manager Jim Greene. "Whether we won the toss or not I thought it was better to play into the breeze in the first half, just contain them, and then go out and win it in the second half. Which we did."

While Ballygunner held up for long periods, they also helped give away possibly three goals. Yet with an even share of the 6,000 crowd, and with that strong breeze behind them, they got stuck in from the start and scored first through midfielder Shane O'Sullivan.

In the 15th minute though Stephen Frampton fumbled a ball in the defence, and Eoin Kelly pounced for goal number one. But rather than get disheartened, and with Andy Maloney leading the way, Ballygunner first got back on level terms, and later pulled ahead - a close-range goal from Paul Foley on 26 minutes leaving them 1-4 to 1-3 in front.

Then, with the clock in added time, Maloney scored a thundering goal. Moments later Tommy Power had a shot saved by Ian O'Reagan. That seemed enough for one half, but in the dying seconds Ken McGrath stuck a 35-metre free into the net.

They could well have gone into the break seven points up, but instead Ballygunner were only one up - 2-4 to 2-3.

They opened the second half by twice exchanging points, and then Ballygunner helped give away another goal. Browne played in a long ball towards Michael Frisby, but goalkeeper Ray Whitty totally misjudged it and the ball hopped into the net.

Ken McGrath, Eoin Kelly and Eoin McGrath all added points in quick succession, and shortly after that Seán Ryan claimed another goal by beating Whitty in the chase for the ball. Substitute Fintan O'Shea added another point and Mount Sion had suddenly collected 2-4. And the scoreboard read 4-9 to 2-7 - as good as game over.

Again Ballygunner refused to get disheartened, and Tommy Power promptly replied by firing a 20-metre into the roof of the Mount Sion net. And on 50 minutes they at least levelled the goal count when Paul Foley held up the ball for Colin Kehoe's drive into the net.

Unfortunately for Ballygunner, however, the points race was easily won by Mount Sion. Ryan and Brian Greene finished that off in added time, giving the holders a deserved seven-point victory. A home meeting with the Limerick champions Ahane awaits in a fortnight's time.

MOUNT SION: I O'Reagan; J O'Meara, A Kirwan, K Flynn; J Cleere, T Browne (1-0), B Flannery; E McGrath (0-1), R McGrath; B Greene (0-2), K McGrath (1-3), E Kelly (1-2); M White (0-2, one free), M Frisby (0-1), S Ryan (1-1). Subs: F O'Shea (0-2) for Frisby (38 mins), K Stafford for Flannery (60 mins), B Browne for Ryan (61 mins).

BALLYGUNNER: R Whitty; N O'Donnell, A Kirwan, R O'Sullivan; S Frampton, F Hartley, W Hutchinson; S O'Sullivan (0-2, one free), T Fives; C Kehoe (1-1), A Maloney (1-1), G O'Connor (0-1); B O'Sullivan, P Foley (1-2), T Power (1-0). Subs: M Kearney for B O'Sullivan (44 mins), G Cullinan for Fives (56 mins), P Carroll for Hutchinson (62 mins).

Referee: T O'Sullivan (Cappoquin/Affane).