Brilliant Ballygunner overwhelm Kilmallock in Munster Club Final

BALLYGUNNER proved too strong for Kilmallock in the Munster Senior Club Hurling Final today.

A brilliant performance from 2018 champions Ballygunner saw them claim Munster honours again as they beat Kilmallock 3-20 to 1-12 in Pairc Ui Chaoimh today.

That success moves the Deise onto three provincial titles, level with Kilmallock in the roll of honour.

An exceptional middle third from Ballygunner proved the difference as they stemmed the early tide.

They will now move on to play Slaughtneil in the All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight’s time.

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Kilmallock got off to the perfect start with Graeme Mulcahy finding the target early on. Robbie Hanley extended the lead for the Limerick champions before Ballygunner found their rhythm

But the Deise men’s response was emphatic and 1-5 on the bounce was the winning and losing of the game.

Dessie Hutchinson found their first point of the game after three minutes with Pauric Mahony levelling from a free.

Mahony had his second to give Ballygunner their first lead before Hutchinson hit the net to move them four clear.

By fifteen minutes, the lead was out to 1-6 to 0-2 in Ballygunner’s favour with Kevin O’Donnell adding much needed respite with his first prior to the waterbreak.

On the restart, Micheal Houlihan made it a five point game. That would be his only score of the game as he limped off middway through the second quarter.

Ballygunner replied with a trio of scores before O’Donnell hit over Kilmallock’s fifth from a free.

A brace from Mahony and Peter Hogan gave Ballygunner a 1-11 to 0-5 lead at the half.

Five minutes into the second half and the game was over as a contest as Kevin Mahony hit the net to move Ballygunner 2-14 to 0-5 clear.

O’Donnell replied with a free but Ballygunner again found the net moments later, this time Billy O’Keefe with the goal after Barry Hennessy had saved from Tadhg Foley.

Oisin O’Reilly grabbed his first score of the day before the final waterbreak with the Balbec trailing 3-15 to 0-9.

Kilmallock battled bravely with Hanley, Phelim O’Reilly and Conor Hanley Clarke finding the target in the final quarter. But anything Kilmallock could muster, Ballygunner were able to match.

Hanley Clarke, who was a real bright spark on his introuduction, was twice stopped by brilliant Stephen O’Keeffe saves in the final quarter.

But perseverance paid off as he fired a free to to the net in injury time to reduce the heavy margin of defeat.

Yet, in the end, the difference was fourteen with the Waterford team worthy after a performance for the ages.

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