Ballygunner 2-26
De La Salle 0-21
Tomás McCarthy reports from Walsh Park
FIRST-HALF STRIKES from Peter Hogan and Pauric Mahony fired Ballygunner to a record-breaking ten Waterford county titles in a row this afternoon.
It’s now 53 games unbeaten in Waterford for the men in red and black. Since the 2013 county final loss to Passage, they have played 64 games, won 62, drawn one and lost one. De La Salle were the last team to topple the Gunners back in June 2015.
2-2 in seven first half minutes settled this decider. Salle only trailed by two when Hogan found the far corner of the net on 24 minutes. Shaun O’Brien saved brilliantly from Dessie Hutchinson just before the break but Pauric Mahony popped the ball over Jake Dillon’s head and rifled home.
Hogan had eleven plays in the first half, scoring 1-2 and creating three other scores. Pauric Mahony finished with 1-8 (1-4 in the first half). TG4 man of the match Kevin Mahony got four second-half points while Conor Sheahan, Dessie Hutchinson and Patrick Fitzgerald all fired three from play.
Reuben Halloran was Salle’s top marksman with 12 points (four from play). Thomas Douglas (0-4) and Eddie Barrett (0-3) also stood out on the losing side.
Salle made one change from their semi final win over Roanmore as Cormac McCann replaced Tom Moran. Two early Pauric Mahony points and one each from Peter Hogan and Conor Sheahan gave the champions a 4-2 lead after seven minutes. Reuben Halloran hit over his second free for Salle from his own 65.
Mahony (free) and Dessie Hutchinson left the Gunners three up. Halloran then got his first from play. Peter Hogan was involved in four points in the opening quarter. He blasted over on 14 minutes after Kevin Mahony beat two men.
Mahony brothers Mikey, Kevin and Pauric opened up a four point gap. A patient Salle move finished with Halloran striking his second from play. Halloran beat Conor Sheahan and Philip Mahony before he added another (0-10 to 0-8).
On 24 minutes, Kevin Mahony found Hogan and he fired to the far corner of the Salle net. Dessie Hutchinson put them six points in front. Eddie Barrett replied with his second from distance.
Hutchinson went through one-on-one but Shaun O’Brien pulled off a blinding save. The Gunners weren’t finished yet. Pauric Mahony flicked the ball over Jake Dillon’s head and slammed home. 2-12 to 0-10 in favour of Darragh O’Sullivan’s men at the break.
Kevin Mahony knocked over three points in the first four minutes of the second half as the Gunners lead grew to double digits. His fourth made it an 11-point game. Conor Sheahan and Patrick Fitzgerald added two apiece in the final quarter. De La Salle full forward Thomas Douglas delivered four consolation points. There was no stopping the Gunners’ march to a historic victory. Veteran Shane O’Sullivan won his 13th county medal.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 1-8 (6fs), Peter Hogan 1-2, Kevin Mahony 0-5, Patrick Fitzgerald, Dessie Hutchinson, Conor Sheahan 0-3 each, Mikey Mahony 0-2.
Scorers for De La Salle: Reuben Halloran 0-12 (7fs, 1 65), Thomas Douglas 0-4, Eddie Barrett 0-3, Daniel Lalor, Jake Dillon 0-1 each.
Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
3. Barry Coughlan 2. Ian Kenny 4. Tadhg Foley
5. Shane O’Sullivan 6. Philip Mahony 7. Harry Ruddle
8. Conor Sheahan 9. Paddy Leavey
15. Mikey Mahony 11. Pauric Mahony 12. Peter Hogan
13. Patrick Fitzgerald 14. Kevin Mahony 10. Dessie Hutchinson
Subs:
- 17. Ronan Power for Ruddle (51)
- 18. Jake Foley for Hogan (54)
- 19. Billy O’Keeffe for Kenny (56)
- 20. Sean Harney for Foley (60)
De La Salle
1. Shaun O’Brien
4. Daniel Lalor 3. Adam Farrell 2. Conor Keane
5. Eddie Barrett 6. Jake Dillon 17. Lorcan Dwyer
8. Jack Fagan 10. Sean Carton
11. Eddie Meaney 13. Reuben Halloran 12. Jack Twomey
26. Kevin Moran 14. Thomas Douglas 15. Cormac McCann
Subs:
- 9. Brian Cunningham for Meaney (41)
- 7. Tom Moran for Dwyer (45)
- 18. Colm Morris for Carton (57)
- 19. Kieran O’Sullivan for Lalor (57)
- 20. Ryan Duke for McCann (60)
Ref: Nicky Barry (Passage)