Ballygunner (Waterford) 2-20 Sarsfields (Cork) 0-09
Ballygunner began their bid for a third Munster title on the trot with a 17-point demolition of Cork champions Sarsfields.
They made use of the gale at their backs to build up a nine-point half-time lead and held the Rebel representatives to just three points against the wind.
Dessie Hutchinson was key to their efforts, contributing four points and setting up goals in either half for Peter Hogan and Kevin Mahony.
It sets up a rematch with Limerick kingpins Na Piarsaigh, a pairing that is meeting for the fifth time in the past eight championships.
Sarsfields had to prepare away from their Glanmire base since flooding ruined their pitch in the days following their Cork title but disrupted preparation aside, they will be disappointed with this showing. They didn't manage to put two scores together all day without a Ballygunner response.
The 10-in-a-row Waterford champions' return from an eight-week break was managed with customary ease. They burst out of the traps by racing into a 1-04 to 0-01 lead in front of 2,596 spectators at Walsh Park.
While Sarsfields stuck by their short puck-outs, the Gunners used the wind at their backs to bombard the opposition full-back line.
Stephen O’Keeffe launched four long in a row and the first resulted in a goal. It was all too easy as Hutchinson won the ball uncontested and Hogan was all alone to finish to the net.
Patrick Fitzgerald and Hutchinson would add points direct from long puck-outs and Hutchinson almost had a goal from another Garryowen but Conor O’Sullivan got himself in the way.
Aaron Myers struck five points to keep Sars alive but they could never thread a pair of scores together without a Ballygunner response in between.
Barry Coughlan and Philip Mahony were in dominant form and all six forwards were on the board by half-time, led by Pauric Mahony [0-04, 3 frees] and Hutchinson [0-03].
It was Sarsfields’ turn to launch a few long on the restart but as the rain bucketed down, the wind weakened. Before long, they had abandoned their sweeper to give chase but they would be outscored by 1-08 to 0-03 in the second period.
Colm McCarthy’s final act before being withdrawn was to force O’Keeffe into a save, while Cian Darcy and Daniel Hogan brought their spread of scorers to four players.
Ballygunner held them at arm’s length as Fitzgerald brought his tally to 0-05. They picked off a second goal with a trademark short-passing combination when Hogan and Hutchinson linked up to gift Kevin Mahony with a tap-in.
Sars hunted a goal but couldn’t find it, with O’Keeffe saving a close-range Myers free at the death.
Ballygunner: S O’Keeffe; I Kenny, B Coughlan, T Foley; S O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheahan (0-01), P Leavey; P Hogan (1-00), Pauric Mahony (0-07, 6f), M Mahony (0-01); P Fitzgerald (0-05), D Hutchinson (0-04), K Mahony (1-01)
Subs: H Ruddle for Philip Mahony (55), B O’Keeffe (0-01) for Leavey (55), C Power for Pauric Mahony (56), S Harney for Kenny (57), A O’Neill for Fitzgerald (58)
Sarsfields: D McCarthy; P Leopold, C Leahy, Cathal McCarthy (0-01); L Elliott, E Murphy, B Murphy; C O’Sullivan, D Kearney; J O’Connor, L Hackett, A Myers (0-06, 3f, 1 65); Colm McCarthy, C Darcy (0-01), D Hogan (0-01)
Subs: B Nodwell for Hackett (h-t), L Healy for Leopold (38), J Sweeney for Colm McCarthy (40), S O’Regan for Kearney (45), D Long for Hogan (56)
Referee: C Doyle (Tipperary).
