Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 2-17
Gort (Galway) 1-15
Jackie Cahill reports from O’Connor Park, Tullamore
HENRY SHEFFLIN AND Ballyhale Shamrocks are heading back to Croke Park.
The five-time All-Ireland senior club hurling champions booked their place in a first final since 2010 with a comfortable victory over Galway kingpins Gort in Tullamore this afternoon.
And Kilkenny’s ten-time All-Ireland SHC medallist Shefflin was very much to the fore at O’Connor Park, notching five points from play and claiming the man of the match award.
Ballyhale built on a four-point half-time advantage to set up a St Patrick’s Day showdown with Limerick and Munster champions Kilmallock at GAA HQ.
First half goals from brothers TJ and Eoin Reid had Ballyhale very much in the driving seat, as they led by 2-9 to 1-8 at the break.
And they kicked on after half-time, leading by nine points at one stage before claiming a five-point victory.
But it was Gort who got off to the better start, with 1-1 from Richard Cummins establishing an early lead.
Full-forward Cummins, who claimed 1-3, bagged the opening goal of the game in the fourth minute, finishing a scuffed low effort to the net after good work by Paul Killilea.
That was a major early fillip for Gort, shortly after goalkeeper Gavin Lally had denied Colin Fennelly with a point blank save.
But Lally’s clean sheet was gone in the eleventh minute when TJ Reid latched onto a wonderful flick from his brother Eoin to crack home an unstoppable drive into the top corner.
Three minutes later, it was Eoin on target, scrambling home a second Ballyhale goal to put some daylight between the sides.
Approaching half-time, a brace of Bob Aylward points handed Ballyhale their biggest lead of the first half, 2-8 to 1-5.
Gerard Quinn’s 25th minute free was Gort’s first score for eight minutes and another Quinn free in first half stoppage time had the Galway men clinging onto Ballyhale’s coattails at the midway point.
Ballyhale midfielders Aylward and Conor Walsh contributed handsomely on the scoreboard, registering six points from play between them, on a day when the winners hit 2-16 from play.
Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 1-2 (0-1f), Henry Shefflin 0-5, Eoin Reid 1-0, Bob Aylward & Conor Walsh 0-3 each, Patrick Reid 0-2, Colin Fennelly & Paul Shefflin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Gort: Richard Cummins 1-3, Gerard O’Donoghue, Michael Mullins (1f), Gerard Quinn (2f), Greg Lally (1 65) & Wayne Walsh 0-2 each, Jason Grealish & Paul Killilea 0-1 each.
Ballyhale Shamrocks
1. Richie Reid
2. Keith Nolan
3. Joseph Holden
4. Alan Cuddihy
5. Paul Shefflin
6. Michael Fennelly
7. Aidan Cummins
8. Bob Aylward
9. Conor Walsh
10. James Fitzpatrick
11. Henry Shefflin
12. TJ Reid
13. Patrick Reid
14. Colin Fennelly
15. Eoin Reid
Subs:
20. Ronan Corcoran for Cummins (37)
18. Brian Cody for Eoin Reid (56)
21. Michael Dermody for Paul Shefflin (56)
17. Gavin Butler for Fitzpatrick (58)
Gort
1. Gavin Lally
2. Mark McMahon
3. Tadhg Linnane
4. Michael Cummins
5. Aidan Harte
6. Greg Lally
7. Sylvie Linnane
8. Seán Forde
9. Jason Grealish
14. Richard Cummins
10. Michael Mullins
13. Gerard O’Donoghue
11. Albert Mullins
15. Gerard Quinn
12. Paul Killilea
Subs:
22. Jack Grealish for Killilea (41)
19. Wayne Walsh for Jason Grealish (43)
17. Conor Helebert for Quinn (51)
18. Niall Forde for Sean Forde (56)
23. Kaelen Higgins for O’Donoghue (59)
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)
