Ballygunner 4-19 Kilruane McDonaghs 0-14
Ballygunner marched on in Munster yet again as the All-Ireland champions saw off a spirited Kilruane McDonaghs at Walsh Park this afternoon.
The Gunners reminded everyone why they are the All-Ireland champions as they coasted in the end with seventeen points to spare, with 2-2 for Kevin Mahony and 1-4 for Patrick Fitzgerald.
18-year-old Fitzgerald started his first half scoring spree when he grabbed the day's first point following some great fielding in the opening minute.
The Tipperary champions bit back instantly when Cian Darcy fired over from space, and the teams traded scores again in the opening exchanges when Darcy’s second in as many minutes cancelled out Pauric Mahony’s first from play.
Liam O’Kelly’s men could well have found themselves a goal to the good within four minutes, were it not for some heroic defensive work from Ronan Power to deny Jerome Cahill.
Dessie Hutchinson then took it upon himself to punish that wasted opportunity, as the Waterford star knocked over three points in succession, having been picked out by Peter Hogan and Kevin Mahony. His third effort in three minutes was the pick of the bunch as he spun and turned his man inside out before splitting the posts.
A first free of the afternoon for Pauric Mahony pushed the All-Ireland champions four ahead, but a superb individual effort from Niall O’Meara reminded the Déise side that they certainly had a game on their hands.
Willie Cleary’s free further dented their advantage, and it would have been a far bigger one from the resulting puckout were it not for some incredible goalkeeping by Paidí Williams.
Stephen O’Keeffe picked out Conor Sheahan who sprayed a quarterback pass to Hutchinson, he played in Kevin Mahony - and his rasping effort was heroically batted away by a diving Williams.
It did little to stem the tide for Kilruane though, as the Gunners grabbed the next three scores on offer. Fitzgerald allowed Pauric Mahony to fire over before Shane O’Sullivan saw Kevin Mahony in acres, and Pauric Mahony was given a golden opportunity to knock over his fourth point when the Kilruane defence parted like the Red Sea.
Willie Cleary grabbed his second before the impressive Fitzgerald went on a run to clip over his third, and as half time loomed, the Tipperary men began to grow into the game somewhat.
Captain Jerome Cahill got on the scoreboard with a simply incredible score when faced by countless defenders in his wake, before Eoin Hogan put his head down and put the burners on to reduce arrears to four with the interval on the horizon.
However, Darragh O’Sullivan’s side picked the perfect time to score - Peter Hogan afforded time and space and he found Fitzgerald unmarked at the back post, and the youngster didn’t disappoint - cracking past a stranded Williams to make it 1-3 for his own tally, and Ballygunner 1-11 to 0-07 ahead at the break.
The Gunners picked up where they left off, with another fantastic goal. Kevin Mahony pointed the first score of the second period with a well-taken effort, but his best was still to come on 32 minutes. The full-forward bore down on goal and was clipped by Mark O’Neill but it mattered little - as while on his knees, Mahony blazed to the roof of the net to give the Gunners an 11-point cushion, killing the game as a contest.
Kilruane’s efforts to fight back were thwarted by the unflappable Stephen O’Keeffe as the former All-Star stood tall in the wake of a Kian O’Kelly effort, but fine points from Sean McAdams, Cian Darcy and Kian O’Kelly did restore some minimal parity. They came either side of another great point from man-of-the-match Fitzgerald who brought his tally up to 1-4.
It could well have been 2-4 were it not for a fine block by Séamus Hennessey, before Willie Cleary and Peter Hogan traded efforts. Kilruane were cursing their luck as Niall O’Meara left injured on 41 minutes, but Willie Cleary’s fourth free did bring them back within eight.
The Gunners once again displayed their incredible firepower up front on 46 minutes, with Hutchinson turning provider for All-Ireland Final hero Harry Ruddle to bury home to the bottom corner having come on moments earlier.
At that point, 3-13 of the Gunners 3-14 had come from play, before Pauric Mahony fired over his fifth point from the dead ball, and Billy O’Keeffe lashed over another from the left flank.
Conor Sheahan’s passing range was again on full display on 52 minutes, as he picked out the fantastic Kevin Mahony to fire in his second goal as he drove past Williams into the bottom left corner. At that point, Kilruane would’ve been wanting to hear Neil Malone’s whistle, while the Gunners were firmly smelling blood.
Willie Cleary’s fifth free of the day was definitely in vein with the scoreline now 4-16 to 0-13, as Billy O’Keeffe grabbed his second. Jerome Cahill did the same for his side, but he was kept much too quiet for the Tipperary men’s liking.
Jake Foley’s point added further gloss before Pauric Mahony’s sixth free closed proceedings - Ballygunner winning out by a comprehensive 4-19 to 0-14.
They march on to face Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh in a pulsating clash in two weeks’ time. On the evidence of today’s display, they firmly remain the team to beat in Munster.
Ballygunner: Stephen O'Keeffe; Ian Kenny, Barry Coughlan, Tadhg Foley; Shane O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavy; Dessie Hutchinson (0-3), Mikey Mahony, Peter Hogan (0-1); Patrick Fitzgerald (1-4), Kevin Mahony (2-2), Pauric Mahony (0-6, 0-3f)
Subs: Billy O’Keeffe (0-2) for Mikey Mahony (33); Harry Ruddle (1-0) for Peter Hogan (43); Jake Foley (0-1) for Patrick Fitzgerald (47); Tom Gallagher for Ronan Power (48); Tim O’Sullivan for Kevin Mahony (53)
Kilruane McDonaghs: Paidí Williams; James Cleary, Jack Peters, Kieran Cahill; Conor Austin, Niall O’Meara (0-1), Eoin Hogan (0-1); Sean McAdams (0-1), Mark O’Neill; Willie Cleary (0-5, 0-5f), Jerome Cahill (0-2), Aaron Morgan; Thomas Cleary, Kian O’Kelly (0-1), Cian Darcy (0-3)
Subs: Séamus Hennessey for Aaron Morgan (14); Carl Williams for Niall O’Meara (41); Conor Cleary for Conor Austin (45); Rory Grace for Kieran Cahill (58); Rob Austin for Thomas Cleary (58)
Referee: Neil Malone (Clare)
