Ballygunner 1-23 Ballyea 0-17
Ballygunner have won their third Munster club senior hurling title in five years following a hard-fought but ultimately comprehensive nine-point win over Ballyea at FBD Semple Stadium.
The Waterford and All-Ireland champions proved too strong for their Clare counterparts as Déise star Pauric Mahony landed 0-10 in Thurles.
Four-time All-Star Tony Kelly gave Ballyea a fighting chance, however, with an even more impressive return of 0-11, four of which were from play.
It is the first time the Munster title has been retained since St Joseph's Doora Barefield won back-to-back championships in 1999, defeating Ballygunner at the time.
In an exciting opening half, Patrick Fitzgerald’s 19th-minute goal proved to be the difference as Ballygunner led 1-11 to 0-11 at the break.
The current All-Ireland champions extended their advantage to nine by full time, doubling the Clare champions' scoring in the second half by 0-12 to six points.
A late blitz of four points without reply did the damage for Darragh O’Sullivan’s side, Pauric Mahony bagging six points in the second half alone.
The favourites Ballygunner came into Saturday’s provincial decider on the back of winning their ninth Waterford SHC title in-a-row after easily accounting for Mount Sion in the Déise decider, while Ballyea had to dig deep to overcome Éire Óg in the Clare final.
In Munster, Ballygunner then saw off Tipperary's Kilruane McDonaghs and Na Piarsaigh of Limerick to get to the final. Two weeks’ ago, Ballyea got the better of Cork's St Finbarr's to reach the Munster showdown.
After Clare star Tony Kelly opened the scoring with a free in the third minute, both sides were level twice more in the opening five minutes before Ballygunner opened up a three-point lead inside 10 minutes.
Midway through the opening half, Ballyea had clawed back the three-point losing margin to bring the sides level for the third time.
Ballyea led for only the second time when Tony Kelly slotted over a free in the 18th minute.
However, Ballygunner had other ideas and Fitzgerald found the net a minute later to restore the Waterford champion’s two-point advantage.
Both sides exchanged points in the last 10 minutes of the opening 30 before a late stoppage-time Pauric Mahony free gave Ballygunner a well-deserved three-point lead at half time - 1-11 to 0-11.
After the restart, Tony Kelly and Mossy Gavin narrowed the deficit to just one, but two Pauric Mahony scores, a point from play and a close-range free, restored Ballygunner’s three-point lead by the 35th minute.
By midway through the second half, O’Sullivan’s charges had extended their lead to five with a superb Mikey Mahony point rounding off a quarter in which Ballygunner outscored Ballyea six points to four.
Ballygunner pulled away even further away and four points without reply sealed it.
The defending All-Ireland holders are now on level terms with the likes of Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh and St Finbarr’s with four Munster titles, and just one behind record title holders, Blackrock of Cork.
Ballygunner: Stephen O'Keeffe; Ian Kenny (joint-capt.), Barry Coughlan, Tadhg Foley; Shane O’Sullivan, Phillip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson (joint-capt,) (0-04), Mikey Mahony (0-02), Peter Hogan (0-01), Patrick Fitzgerald (1-04), Kevin Mahony (0-02), Pauric Mahony (0-10, 0-05f, 0-01 '65).
Subs: Harry Ruddle for Kevin Mahony (55), Billy O’Keeffe for Hogan (57), Tim O’Sullivan for Fitzgerald (59), Tom Gallagher for Power (63), Darragh O’Keeffe for Mike Mahony (63).
Ballyea: Barry Coote; Brandon O’Connell, Peter Casey, Paul Flanagan; Gearoid O’Connell, Jack Browne, James Murphy (capt.) (0-01); Tony Kelly (0-11, 0-06f, 0-01 ‘65), Stan Lineen; Niall Deasy (0-02), Pearse Lillis (0-02), Cathal O’Connor; Mossy Galvin (0-01), Gary Brennan, Aaron Griffin.
Subs: Cillian Brennan for Flanagan (temp sub 38 – 44), Morgan Garry for O’Connor (41), Martin O’Leary for Griffin (48), Martin O’Leary for Lineen (53), Cathal Doohan for Gavin (55).
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
