Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 1-16
Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-16
Dan Bannon reports from Croke Park
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS DETHRONED champions Ballygunner to reach their fourth successive AIB All-Ireland senior club hurling final.
TJ Reid put in a performance for the ages. Fuelled by revenge of last year’s late final defeat Reid was everywhere in the absorbing semi final.
Having missed a second-half penalty minutes earlier, the manner in which Reid stood up again showed not only leadership but ultimate composure to finish and finally deny Stephen O’Keeffe.
O’Keeffe himself turned in a very special performance and looked to have done enough to see his side back to the final with three top drawer saves before Reid’s penalty.
With holders Ballygunner dominant in the opening half, they too showed their vulnerability. O’Keeffe first denied Adrian Mullen with a supreme save against the run of play.
Pauric Mahony and Dessie Hutchinson were on song up top, their accuracy allowed Darragh O’Sullivan’s side to overcome a bad start and to twice open up two-point advantages in the first half.
However Shamrocks doggedly stayed in touch thanks to Reid’s free-taking to peg their Waterford side back.
At half-time it was 0-11 points a piece and the teams remained level for the opening third of the second half. Eoin Cody walloped over two points after Pauric Mahony opened the scoring eight minutes in.
With that, Ballyhale smelt blood. Surging and creating chance after chance, O’Keeffe first had to deny wing-back Evan Shefflin. Having shored up at the back and by directly running at Ballygunner, Pat Hoban’s men were about to turn the screw. Colin Fennelly was taken down and Reid was denied to the right by the bas of O’Keeffe’s hurl.
In the next play Reid himself was taken down. Making no mistake the second time round, Reid buried home past heroic O’Keeffe.
Reid landed a free shortly after to open up an unassailable five-point gap, that would be enough for Shamrocks to reach their fourth successive final.
Interestingly, the Kilkenny side have never faced an Ulster team in all ten of their previous finals. Dunloy Cúchullains will be the first when they face off in the New Year.
Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 1-8 (1-0pen, 7f, 1 65′), Eoin Cody 0-2, Colin Fennelly 0-1, Adrian Mullen 0-1, Paddy Mullen 0-1, Ronan Corcoran 0-1, Eoin Kenneally 0-1, Joey Cuddihy 0-1.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-6 (4f), Dessie Hutchinson 0-4, Patrick Fitzgerald 0-2, Ronan Power 0-1, Conor Sheahan 0-1, Mikey Mahony 0-1, Kevin Mahony 0-1.
Ballyhale Shamrocks
1. Dean Mason
4. Killian Corcoran, 2. Darren Mullen, 3. Joey Holden
5. Evan Shefflin, 6. Richie Reid, 7. Darragh Corcoran
8. Ronan Corcoran, 9. Paddy Mullen
12. Eoin Cody, 11. TJ Reid, 10. Adrian Mullen
13. Eoin Kenneally, 14. Colin Fennelly, 15. Joey Cuddihy
Subs
17. Brian Butler for D Mullen (6)
22. Niall Shortall for Cuddihy (13)
24. Conor Walsh for Kenneally (63)
Ballygunner
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
2. Ian Kenny, 3. Barry Coughlan, 4. Tadhg Foley
5. Shane O’Sullivan, 6. Philip Mahony, 7. Ronan Power
8. Conor Sheahan, 9. Paddy Leavy
12. Peter Hogan, 15. Pauric Mahony, 11. Mikey Mahony
13. Patrick Fitzgerald, 10. Dessie Hutchinson, 14. Kevin Mahony
Subs
18. Billy O’Keefe for M Mahony (49)
17. Harry Ruddle for Fitzgerald (55)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Killimor, Galway)