Brilliant Ballygunner juggernaut continues to roll on
Ballygunner’s Dessie Hutchinson is blocked by Loughmore-Castleiney’s Brian McGrath. Photo: INPHO/Ken Sutton
Ballygunner eased their way into another AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship Final when producing a clinical first-half performance that was key to overcoming the challenge of Tipperary challengers Loughmore-Castleiney their semi-final battle at Walsh Park.
Darragh O’Sullivan’s side scored 1-6 without reply in the dying minutes of the first-half to lead 1-15 to 0-8 at the break where they had five players booked by referee Ciaran O’Regan, who infuriated both teams with some strange calls, including a yellow card to Peter Hogan that could have been the other colour.
The influential Pauric Mahony was superb in that opening 30 minutes where he scored seven points, two from placed balls, with the dominant Conor Sheehan in midfield also key to the Gunners’ dominance with the green flag coming from Kevin Mahony in first-half injury-time after a sublime Patrick Fitzgerald pass.
Patrick Fitzgerald landed a fine opening point of the second half before John McGrath scored two points sandwiched between scores from Pauric Mahony and Dessie Hutchinson as they led 1-19 to 0-10 with 40 minutes on the clock.
Two splendid Kevin Mahony points from play put his side in the driving seat as they continued to ease their way through the game with Hutchinson adding a brilliant point from play on 48 minutes. They did concede a late goal through Ciaran McCormack two minutes from time as points from Dessie Hutchinson and Conor Power saw the champions book their spot in another Munster Club decider.
