Tipperary senior hurling champions outclassed by a rampant Ballygunner

Kilruane MacDonaghs ……………………….0-14

Ballygunner …………………………………..  4-19

After bridging a 37 year gap to secure a Tipperary senior hurling title, Munster championship hurling proved to be  a step too far for Kilruane McDonaghs as they suffered a  demoralising 17 point  defeat to Ballygunner .

The All-Ireland and Munster champions cruised to victory at Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon to set up a mouth watering semi- final clash with Na Piarsaigh.

Out for the third Sunday in a row, Kilruane MacDonaghs came up against a fresh Ballygunner team that had won their county title 56 days previously.

Ballygunner had too much firepower for a  Kilruane McDonaghs team that kept battling to the end in this one sided contest.

With the outstanding talents of Dessie Hutchinson and Patrick Fitzgerald in attack, Ballygunner threatened to pull away in the first half.

However an heroic display from Niall O’Meara at centre back inspired Kilruane McDonaghs who showed great resilience in the first half to stay with Ballygunner.

Kilraune appeared to be going in at half time only four points down but Ballygunner struck for a killer goal through Patrick Fitzgerald in time added on at the end of the first half.

Peter Hogan picked him out with the perfect pass and Fitzgerald blasted to the net to give Ballygunner men a seven point lead at the break.

Ballygunner, however, went into another gear for the second half  and this game was all but over two minutes into the second half. 

Kevin Mahony put Ballygunner eight points clear in the opening minute of the second half before the full forward pounced for a goal, striking to the net while falling to the ground, to give Ballygunner an 11 point lead.

As a contest it was all over but Kilruane never gave up and they scored four of the next five points of the game but they lost the influential Niall O’Meara to injury and that came as a heavy blow to the Tipperary champions.

Midway through the second half Ballygunner substitute Harry Ruddle hit the net after taking a beautifully executed pass from Dessie Hutchinson in his stride. That goal gave Ballyguner an eleven point lead and they went on to dominate the remainder of the proceedings running out winners by seventeen points.

Kilruane McDonaghs showed great resolve and resilience to stay with Ballygunner throughout that first half.

They were on two points apiece until Dessie Hutchinson scored three beautiful points in succession  to give the Gunners a cushion.

Hutchinsons touch was sublime as he popped over three scores with ease making the most of quality ball played into him.

 A Pauric Mahoney free put Ballygunner four clear but the outstanding Niall O’ Meara, playing a stormer at centre back, pegged one back for Kilruane MacDonaghs.

Ballygunner went four ahead again through Patrick Fitzgerald  but Willie Cleary reduced the margin again for Kilruane McDonaghs with a free.

Ballygunner, playing with an impressive passing efficiency, picked off the next three scores to put some daylight between the teams with the Waterford champions holding a six point lead with five minutes left in the half.

Willie Cleary, with another free, managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over for Kilruane McDonaghs,before Patrick Fitzgerald restored the six point advantage for Ballygunner.

Kilruane McDonaghs never wilted, responding magnificently with two uplifting scores from Jerome Cahill and Eoin Hogan, who both made great runs through the Balygunner defence before taking their scores.

Kilruane were looking at going in at the break just  four points behind  until the superb Patrick Fitzgerald scored a killer goal. Fitzgerald, who scored a goal and three points in the first half, took the pass from Peter Hogan, and punished Kilruane McDonaghs for poor marking in front of their goal, finishing to the net with some style.

That goal came at the worst possible time for Kilruane McDonaghs. It put seven points between the teams and there was no way back from there for  the Tipperary champions.,  Ballygunner scored three second half goals,two from full forward Kevin Mahony and a Harry Ruddle special to ease to a comfortable victory. 

Jerome Cahill, Eoin Hogan,Mark O’Neill   and substitute Seamus Hennessy performed strongly on the day for Kilruane McDonaghs whose hectic schedule and lengthy injury list caught up with them .

Kilruane MacDonaghs

Paidi Wiliams, James Cleary, Jack Peters, Kieran Cahill, Conor Austin, Niall O’Meara, Eoin Hogan, Sean McAdams, Mark O ‘Neill, Wilie Cleary, Jerome Cahill, Aaron Morgan,Thomas Cleary, Kian O ‘Kelly, Cian Darcy.

Scorers

Willie Cleary 0-5,all f’s,Cian Darcy 0-3, Jerome Cahill 0-2,Sean McAdams 0-1,  Niall O Meara 0-1,Eoin Hogan 0-1,Kian O Kelly 0-1

Subs

Conor Cleary for Conor Austin, Carl Williams for Niall O Meara,Seamus Henessy for Aaron Morgan,Eoin Carroll for Willie Cleary,Rory Grace for ian O Kelly,Rob Austin for Thomas Cleary

Ballygunner

Stephen O’ Keeffe, Ian Kenny, Barry Coughlan, Tadgh Foley, Shane O Sullivan, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power, Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey, Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony, Peter Hogan, Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Pauric Mahony.

Patrick Fitzgerald 1-4, Kevin Mahony 2-2, Pauric Mahony 0-6,2f’s,Dessie Hutchinson 0-3, Peter Hogan 0-1,Billy O Keeffe 0-2,Harry Ruddle 1-0,Jake Foley 0-1

Billy O Keeffe for Mikey Mahony,Jake Foley fo rPatrick Fitzgerld,Harry Ruddle for Peter Hogan,Tom Gallagher for Ronan Power

Referee

Niall Malone