Brilliant Ballygunner leave Glen Rovers reeling

Ballygunner (Waterford) 0-19 Glen Rovers (Cork) 1-9: Factor in the extremely difficult underfoot conditions, factor in the sending-off of defensive anchor Philip Mahony and the loss of key forward Peter Hogan to injury midway through the first-half and only then do you begin to get a sense of the heights scaled by Ballygunner in progressing to the Munster Club SHC final.

The Waterford champions returned to their dressing room at half-time yesterday five points in arrears. It was hardly an insurmountable target, but the scoreboard was no longer their sole concern.

Sweeper Philip Mahony had received a straight red card on 23 minutes for shoving his hurley into the stomach of David Cunningham. And while Glen Rovers were also reduced to 14-men during a melee which involved up to 25 players — Dean Brosnan the second player red-carded, Ballygunner were now without their conductor.