Glorious Gunners reclaim the holy grail
Ballygunner joint captains Peter Hogan and Mikey Mahony lift the Tommy Moore Cup after All-Ireland Senior Club final win over Loughrea at Croke Park. Photo: INPHO/James Crombie
Ballygunner are All-Ireland club hurling kings for the second occasion as they saw off Galway champions Loughrea with an assured performance, leading them back up the famed steps of the Hogan Stand.
With the game hanging in the balance at the break, the Gunners turned on the style in the second period, outscoring their opponents 1-8 to 0-6 - Mikey Mahony’s early goal proving particularly decisive as they got their hands on the Tommy Moore Cup once again. The cup could well have gone to Galway were it not for the interventions of the immense Stephen O’Keeffe, who was crowned Man of the Match by virtue of four crucial saves.
The sides were level on five occasions in a pulsating first half where no quarter was given.
Fittingly, the man to open the scores was the man of the moment, Dessie Hutchinson, signalling a sign of early intent as he skinned his marker, Shane Morgan, with 80 seconds on the clock, though a superb effort over the shoulder from Jamie Ryan soon brought about parity.
The first goal chance arrived on three minutes as Peter Hogan broke free and bore down on goal, but his pass couldn’t be smothered by Patrick Fitzgerald, and Gearóid Loughane quickly closed him down, though Pauric Mahony was on hand to point the requisite ‘65. The same man was deadly accurate moments later, spraying the sliotar to his brother Kevin, who made no mistake in opening his account.
A captain’s score from the excellent Ian Hanrahan steadied Loughrea, though they found themselves two down again when Fitzgerald offloaded to Kevin Mahony who repeated the trick from a tight angle.
Loughrea then conjured a goal chance of their own on 9 minutes, Brian Keary playing Anthony Burns in behind Harry Ruddle, but as is often the case, Stephen O’Keeffe stood tall to divert the danger. Play was recycled well by the Galway champions, and Burns was on hand to split the posts.
The Mahony contingent continued to exert their influence on affairs; this time, Mikey rose highest to claim a puckout before planting his feet to find the radar.
Paddy Leavey then hauled down Vince Morgan, allowing Tiernan Killeen to point his first dead ball, and the sides were level again on 14 minutes - O’Keeffe was again called to action to deny Morgan, but Darren Shaughnessy ensured they came away with a white flag at least.
Pauric Mahony brought his A-Game from frees, but again the Gunners' lead was short-lived as Johnny Coen marauded forward and made no mistake. Jason Ryan’s men reeled off the next two scores as Patrick Fitzgerald got out in front of his man before Mikey Mahony sprayed to Conor Sheahan, who survived the nervous wait of Hawkeye.
A close-range free from Tiernan Killeen had the advantage back down to the minimum before Hutchinson and Fitzgerald combined for the latter to knock over his second, and from the next play, the opening goal of the game arrived.
As Mikey Mahony went on a trademark run, he was dispossessed by a scintillating piece of defending from captain Ian Hanrahan. He picked out Joe Mooney, and Mooney sent an inch-perfect ball toward the Gunners goal - with O’Keeffe coming out, in stole Darren Shaughnessy with a most delicate flick, and Loughrea led for the first and only occasion on 27 minutes.
Gunners captain Peter Hogan provided his own source of inspiration as he instantly tried to cancel out Shaughnessy’s strike with a green flag; his effort crashed over the crossbar, and the sides were level once more.
Hogan then turned provider and sent in Kevin Mahony, he rolled Cullen Killeen and dissected the uprights with ease, before a well-taken Tiernan Killeen free levelled matters for the fifth occasion approaching the interval.
Pauric Mahony was again on hand to punish any instances of ill-discipline, and it was the Gunners who led 0-12 to 1-8 at the halfway point - though you wouldn’t have dared to call the winner by this point.
On the resumption, Ballygunner saw another goal chance go begging, a Mahony free dropped short, and Fitzgerald pulled along the ground, but his effort went inches wide of the right-hand post. On resumption, a peach of a pass from Coen found Caimin Killeen in acres, but O’Keeffe again rushed out to deny him. A Tiernan Kileen free levelled matters for the sixth and final occasion on 34 minutes.
The key moment arrived on 35 minutes, as Ballygunner’s co-captains combined to perfection. Peter Hogan broke forward and when smothered, he unleashed Mikey Mahony to bear down on goal - and when he swung for the bottom left corner, Loughnane stood no chance in the Loughrea net and the momentum was now firmly with the Munster kingpins.
Conor Sheahan finished off a great team move and pushed the boat out to four, but a Tiernan Killeen free and a Vince Morgan strike served as a reminder that Loughrea weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Ballygunner responded by establishing a sense of control and composure that they so often do with games in the melting pot - Ian Kenny and Paddy Leavey were at the peak of their powers, and O’Keeffe was playing the role of quarterback to perfection.
A Pauric Mahony free produced another score before brother Kevin conjured a beauty from nothing when double-marked, and a great effort from substitute Mark Hartley established a five-point cushion.
O’Keeffe was again on hand to ensure the lead wasn’t cut into, as Cullen Killeen played Vince Morgan in behind, but a sliding O’Keeffe wasn’t for passing. A stunner along the left sideline from Jamie Ryan reignited hope for Loughrea, but Ballygunner remained unperturbed - two more Pauric Mahony frees made it 1-18 to 1-12 with just three minutes remaining.
The spirit of this group was emphasised in a 59th-minute passage, as Pauric Mahony, surrounded by four men, kept breaking behind and ultimately drew the foul, picking himself up and slotting over as smiles began to etch themselves across the faces of the Waterford faithful.
Points from Tiernan Killeen and Neil Keary were mere consolations by now, either side of a Mahony 65 - Gearoid Loughnane produced a tremendous stop of his own to deny Dessie Hutchinson the icing on the cake.
This victory was seismic and symbolic in equal measure - a most-determined and die-for-the-badge display on club hurling’s biggest stage. Tommy Moore is back on Suirside, and deservedly so.
Pauric Mahony (0-8; 0-5f; 0-2 ‘65); Kevin Mahony (0-4); Mikey Mahony (1-1); Patrick Fitzgerald and Conor Sheahan (0-2 each); Peter Hogan, Dessie Hutchinson and Mark Hartley (0-1 each)
Tiernan Killeen (0-6, 0-6f); Darren Shaughnessy (1-1); Jamie Ryan (0-2); Vince Morgan, Anthony Burns, Ian Hanrahan, Johnny Coen and Neil Keary (0-1 each)
Stephen O’Keeffe; Aaron O’Neill, Ian Kenny, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Pauric Mahony, Peter Hogan; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Mikey Mahony.
Mark Hartley for Patrick Fitzgerald (38); Conor Tobin for Conor Sheahan (56); Cormac Power for Kevin Mahony (60)
Gearóid Loughnane; Paul Hoban, Johnny Coen, Kieran Hanrahan; Brian Keary, Shane Morgan, Joe Mooney; Ian Hanrahan, Cullen Killeen; Caimín Killeen, Tiernan Killeen, Jamie Ryan; Anthony Burns, Darren Shaughnessy, Vince Morgan.
Alan Kelly for Brian Keary (40); Gavin Maher for Joe Mooney (45); Sean Sweeney for Paul Hoban (51); Martin McManus for Jamie Ryan (54); Neil Keary for Cullen Killeen (54); Jamie Ryan for Darren Shaughnessy (57)
Chris Mooney (Dublin)
