Gunners leave it late to overcome Na Piarsaigh
Ballygunner's Paddy Leavey under pressure from Na Piarsaigh's Kevin Downes and Conor Boylan during their AIB Munster Club Senior Hurilng Championship clash at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photos: INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon
Ballygunner left it late in Limerick but deservedly saw off Na Piarsaigh at the finish, firing five of the last six scores at the Gaelic Grounds to progress to the provincial semi-finals for the eighth season running.
Without talisman Pauric Mahony, others stepped up in his absence - Harry Ruddle gave an exhibition from wing-back, while Mikey Mahony and Patrick Fitzgerald also shone at the Gaelic Grounds.
Jason Ryan’s men almost got off to the perfect start as Peter Hogan released Dessie Hutchinson on 55 seconds, but his effort was well saved by Shane Dowling. Hutchinson pointed the requisite ‘65 to open the scoring.
Some great use of the sliotar allowed Ruddle to maraud upfield into space to split the posts shortly after, before Peter Casey’s effort dropped short and fortunately for Stephen O’Keeffe, Kevin Downes’ instinctive bat flashed right and wide.
Ballygunner worked upfield, and Conor Sheahan picked out the impressive Mark Hartley, and he made it 0-3 to no score. Ten minutes elapsed before Na Piarsaigh got off the mark, doing so via Casey, before magnificent work from Mikey Mahony wrestled back possession, and again Ruddle was on hand to provide the punishment.
A superb catch and score from Casey and a ‘65 from Downes reduced arrears to the minimum midway through the opening period, but Hutchinson soon spun his man and offloaded to Fitzgerald, who was fit and firing all afternoon.
Adrian Breen then swung over from around the 45-metre mark before a poor call from the referee afforded Downes the opportunity to level the scores for the first time on 23 minutes.
The Gunners didn’t panic, and hit a purple patch at the perfect time - a Hutchinson free quietened the hostile home support before Kevin and Mikey Mahony combined allowing Hartley to knock over his second, and an excellent run and score from Mikey Mahony made it 0-8 to 0-5 in their favour at the interval.
The Waterford champions started the second half just as brightly, a fine effort from Fitzgerald kept them motoring before the same man intercepted Dowling’s puckout and assisted Mahony to provide further damage. They now led by five but were by no means coasting as Na Piarsaigh’s physicality was coming to the fore, and Downes and Ronan Lynch reduced the gap to three via dead balls.
Fitzgerald notched the score of the match on 39 minutes as Philip Mahony’s sideline was picked expertly by Hartley, and he hand-passed to the forward, who spun expertly and split the posts with aplomb. Na Piarsaigh refused to lie down however, Tommy Grimes punished a loss of possession before Downes was out first to score and when Daithí Dempsey set up Conor Boylan, it was a one-point affair again.
Hutchinson and Downes traded frees, but when Dempsey was dragged down again, Downes levelled matters once more approaching the final quarter. The pair traded dead balls once more before the Limerick champions hit the lead for the first time, eight minutes from the finish, a long-range free from Lynch finding the radar.
Time was fast running out, and players needed to step up. When Hutchinson played Ruddle into space, there was no one more fitting to breathe life back into Ballygunner’s challenge. Hogan and Hutchinson combined for the latter to give the Gunners the lead again, but a superb point from Casey off-balance levelled matters for the fifth time with five minutes left.
Peter Hogan found space and gave the Gunners breathing room before lively substitute Conor Tobin was first out to a loose ball as the strong travelling support roared them on. Tobin bore down on goal soon after but the defence recovered to close him down - but Fitzgerald stepped up to point the resultant 65 and once again, Ballygunner had the final say.
Not their finest, but gritty, effective and hard-earned, with Sarsfields coming to Waterford soon - revenge will certainly be on the minds of the ruthless.
Dessie Hutchinson (0-5; 0-3f); Patrick Fitzgerald (0-4; 0-1 ‘65); Harry Ruddle (0-3); Mikey Mahony and Mark Hartley (0-2 each); Peter Hogan and Conor Tobin (0-1 each)
Kevin Downes (0-6; 0-4f); Peter Casey (0-3); Ronan Lynch (0-3; 0-3f); Conor Boylan, Tommy Grimes and Adrian Breen (0-1 each) Man Of The Match: Harry Ruddle (Ballygunner)
Stephen O’Keeffe; Aaron O’Neill, Ian Kenny, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Mark Hartley, Peter Hogan; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Mikey Mahony.
Cormac Power for Conor Sheahan (49); Conor Tobin for Mark Hartley (53)
Shane Dowling; Jerome Boylan, Mike Casey, Vince Harrington; Mike Foley, Ronan Lynch, Emmet McEvoy; Tommy Grimes, Conor Boylan; JJ Carey, Peter Casey, Daithí Dempsey; Kevin Downes, Will Henn, Adrian Breen.
Keith Dempsey for Will Henn (41); James Finn for Mike Foley (43); Dylan Lynch for Adrian Breen (46); Eoin Brosnan for Tommy Grimes (54); Wayne Kearns for JJ Carey (59)
Niall Malone (Clare)
2,667
