FOUR DAYS BEFORE Christmas, Ballygunner found themselves facing a serious examination of their credentials.
At a stage in the club championship where they have frequently seen their ambitions perish, they adjusted to the high-pressure situation they faced. An impressive second-half comeback was fashioned and that propelled them into January’s All-Ireland final against Galway’s Loughrea.
Trailing by two points at the break, 0-6 to 0-4, Ballygunner were 0-8 to 0-5 adrift in the 37th minute.
But Jason Ryan’s team did not buckle in that situation, instead outscoring St Martin’s for the remainder of the game by 0-14 to 0-2. It was an awesome show of strength.
St Martin's Joe Barrett dejected
Ballygunner’s Conor Sheahan celebrates James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Ballygunner were driven on by their outstanding attackers Dessie Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony, both contributing 0-7 apiece. Hutchinson was a step above all others again as he clipped over six from play. Substitute Mark Hartley was brilliantly effective after he was introduced, notching a point from play, setting up two other points, and fouled twice for frees that were converted.
St Martin’s bowed out after a magnificent year. They had emerged from Leinster after a thrilling series of victories. The level of first-half play they served up here, suggested that another landmark afternoon was in the offing. Ultimately the well ran dry, they flagged as the second half unfolded with Ballygunner’s grip on the game tightening all the time.
St Martin’s will have regret over how their play faded in the second half and can also bemoan not being awarded a goal in the first half. Michael Coleman could have been awarded a penalty 22 minutes in after seemingly being pushed by Ian Kenny, but his team should certainly have had a goal registered in their favour.
Referee Sean Stack pointed for a free out against Coleman, judging the ball had been thrown. Replay footage confirmed the Ballygunner defender’s leg had knocked the ball out of Coleman’s grasp and into the net
Could have been a penalty. Should have been a GOAL! Sean Stack & umpires have made a massive error there, it’s had a huge bearing on this very tight game.
St Martins will be very unhappy, Ballygunner get the bit of luck, not for the first time today.
St Martin’s possessed an interval advantage that could have been greater. In addition to the goal controversy, Rory O’Connor, their chiefs marksman in Leinster, was uncharacteristically inaccurate with a trio of first-half wides.
Yet after a ferocious opening, St Martin’s had good cause to be content at the midway mark. They shipped two points to Ballygunner in the opening six minutes and then restricted the Munster champions to the same number of scores for the rest of the half.
Hutchinson was a clear threat, rifling over three points, including one stunning score in the 20th minute after Philip and Kevin Mahony threaded passes in a Ballygunner move upfield.
But St Martin’s fought furiously to clamp down on the space available to Ballygunner and Joe Barrett launched over his second point of the game for the last score of the half.
Goalkeeper Callum Quirke had also produced an outstanding save in the early stages to block a drive from Patrick Fitzgerald that was flying towards the net.
Ballygunner’s Ian Kenny, Harry Ruddle and Paddy Leavey with Jack O'Connor of St Martin's. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The second-half scoring notes commenced with a Mahony free, but soon after Rory O’Connor converted a free after being hauled down by Paddy Leavey as he accelerated towards goal, and then St Martin’s overturned Ballygunner around the middle, Jack O’Connor spying Darren Codd in space and he fired over a point.
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St Martin’s were the outfit with a rising sense of confidence, yet the narrative changed dramatically from there. Mahony, Hutchinson, and Hartley were the chief attacking architects for Ballygunner, but all over the pitch they becaome the dominant outfit. They knocked over 14 of the next 15 points registered in the game, drawing level in the 40th minute courtesy of Hartley and hitting the front on 42 when Hutchinson was on target.
From there they stretched clear, hurling with authority. The memories of previous semi-final nightmares were banished, a nine-point winning margin reflective of Ballygunner’s second-half control.
Ballygunner’s Dessie Hutchinson celebrates scoring a point. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-7 (0-5f), Dessie Hutchinson 0-7 (0-1f), Mark Hartley 0-1, Harry Ruddle 0-1, Peter Hogan 0-1, Patrick Fitzgerald 0-1, Michael Mahony 0-1.
Scorers for St Martin’s: Joe Barrett 0-3, Rory O’Connor 0-3 (0-3f), Jack O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f), Darren Codd 0-1, David Codd 0-1.
Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
4. Tadhg Foley, 3. Ian Kenny, 2. Aaron O’Neill
5. Harry Ruddle, 6. Philip Mahony, 7. Ronan Power
8. Conor Sheahan, 9. Paddy Leavey
12. Peter Hogan, 11. Pauric Mahony, 15. Mikey Mahony
10. Dessie Hutchinson, 13. Patrick Fitzgerald, 14. Kevin Mahony
Subs
19. Mark Hartley for Kevin Mahony (inj) (37)
21. Conor Tobin for Fitzgerald (inj) (48)
22. Cormac Power for Pauric Mahony (59)
St Martin’s
1. Callum Quirke
2. Eoin O’Leary, 3. Conor Firman (captain), 4. Joe Barrett
6. Philip Dempsey, 5. Daithi Waters, 7. Diarmuid O’Leary
8. David Codd, 9. Aaron Maddock
11. Darren Codd, 12. Jake Firman, 14. Jack O’Connor
13. Michael Coleman, 10. Barry O’Connor, 15. Rory O’Connor
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Ballygunner dominate second half to defeat St Martin's and book All-Ireland final place
Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-19
St Martin’s (Wexford) 0-10
FOUR DAYS BEFORE Christmas, Ballygunner found themselves facing a serious examination of their credentials.
At a stage in the club championship where they have frequently seen their ambitions perish, they adjusted to the high-pressure situation they faced. An impressive second-half comeback was fashioned and that propelled them into January’s All-Ireland final against Galway’s Loughrea.
Trailing by two points at the break, 0-6 to 0-4, Ballygunner were 0-8 to 0-5 adrift in the 37th minute.
But Jason Ryan’s team did not buckle in that situation, instead outscoring St Martin’s for the remainder of the game by 0-14 to 0-2. It was an awesome show of strength.
Ballygunner were driven on by their outstanding attackers Dessie Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony, both contributing 0-7 apiece. Hutchinson was a step above all others again as he clipped over six from play. Substitute Mark Hartley was brilliantly effective after he was introduced, notching a point from play, setting up two other points, and fouled twice for frees that were converted.
St Martin’s bowed out after a magnificent year. They had emerged from Leinster after a thrilling series of victories. The level of first-half play they served up here, suggested that another landmark afternoon was in the offing. Ultimately the well ran dry, they flagged as the second half unfolded with Ballygunner’s grip on the game tightening all the time.
St Martin’s will have regret over how their play faded in the second half and can also bemoan not being awarded a goal in the first half. Michael Coleman could have been awarded a penalty 22 minutes in after seemingly being pushed by Ian Kenny, but his team should certainly have had a goal registered in their favour.
Referee Sean Stack pointed for a free out against Coleman, judging the ball had been thrown. Replay footage confirmed the Ballygunner defender’s leg had knocked the ball out of Coleman’s grasp and into the net
St Martin’s possessed an interval advantage that could have been greater. In addition to the goal controversy, Rory O’Connor, their chiefs marksman in Leinster, was uncharacteristically inaccurate with a trio of first-half wides.
Yet after a ferocious opening, St Martin’s had good cause to be content at the midway mark. They shipped two points to Ballygunner in the opening six minutes and then restricted the Munster champions to the same number of scores for the rest of the half.
Hutchinson was a clear threat, rifling over three points, including one stunning score in the 20th minute after Philip and Kevin Mahony threaded passes in a Ballygunner move upfield.
But St Martin’s fought furiously to clamp down on the space available to Ballygunner and Joe Barrett launched over his second point of the game for the last score of the half.
Goalkeeper Callum Quirke had also produced an outstanding save in the early stages to block a drive from Patrick Fitzgerald that was flying towards the net.
The second-half scoring notes commenced with a Mahony free, but soon after Rory O’Connor converted a free after being hauled down by Paddy Leavey as he accelerated towards goal, and then St Martin’s overturned Ballygunner around the middle, Jack O’Connor spying Darren Codd in space and he fired over a point.
St Martin’s were the outfit with a rising sense of confidence, yet the narrative changed dramatically from there. Mahony, Hutchinson, and Hartley were the chief attacking architects for Ballygunner, but all over the pitch they becaome the dominant outfit. They knocked over 14 of the next 15 points registered in the game, drawing level in the 40th minute courtesy of Hartley and hitting the front on 42 when Hutchinson was on target.
From there they stretched clear, hurling with authority. The memories of previous semi-final nightmares were banished, a nine-point winning margin reflective of Ballygunner’s second-half control.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-7 (0-5f), Dessie Hutchinson 0-7 (0-1f), Mark Hartley 0-1, Harry Ruddle 0-1, Peter Hogan 0-1, Patrick Fitzgerald 0-1, Michael Mahony 0-1.
Scorers for St Martin’s: Joe Barrett 0-3, Rory O’Connor 0-3 (0-3f), Jack O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f), Darren Codd 0-1, David Codd 0-1.
Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
4. Tadhg Foley, 3. Ian Kenny, 2. Aaron O’Neill
5. Harry Ruddle, 6. Philip Mahony, 7. Ronan Power
8. Conor Sheahan, 9. Paddy Leavey
12. Peter Hogan, 11. Pauric Mahony, 15. Mikey Mahony
10. Dessie Hutchinson, 13. Patrick Fitzgerald, 14. Kevin Mahony
Subs
St Martin’s
1. Callum Quirke
2. Eoin O’Leary, 3. Conor Firman (captain), 4. Joe Barrett
6. Philip Dempsey, 5. Daithi Waters, 7. Diarmuid O’Leary
8. David Codd, 9. Aaron Maddock
11. Darren Codd, 12. Jake Firman, 14. Jack O’Connor
13. Michael Coleman, 10. Barry O’Connor, 15. Rory O’Connor
Subs
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)
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Ballygunner GAA Hurling St. Martin's the Gunners