Lyons the hero as Ballyduff Lower down Dunhill 

Ballyduff Lower 2-18 

Dunhill 1-20 

Brian Flannery, Walsh Park

East Waterford IHC final

Ballyduff Lower came from three points down with three minutes remaining to snatch victory in a thrilling East Waterford IHC final at Walsh Park on Sunday evening.

County man and captain Calum Lyons was the hero converting a late penalty and adding two superb points from play to earn his side a place in next Sunday’s county final.

Dunhill with the aid of the breeze in the opening half started in style and led 0-6 to 0-1 at the first water break with Shane Casey and Cillian Bonnar to the fore.

However in the 22nd minute Ballyduff had the game's opening goal when Dylan Dixon’s effort was deflected to the net by a Dunhill defender. This goal gave the eventual winners energy with further points from Calum Lyons, Ronan Dunphy and Jack Lyons putting them a point up 1-5 to 0-7 with 27 minutes played.

Bonner pointed again soon after to level the game and Shane Casey then converted a penalty in the 30th minute after Tomas Casey was pulled down close to goal to edge Dunhill back into the driving seat.

Late first half points from Dylan Swift and Eamon Murphy (2) gave Dunhill a commanding half-time advantage 1-12 to 1-5.

Wind assisted on the change of ends at an empty Walsh Park; Ballyduff Lower began to reel in their opponents. Two points each from brothers Jack and Calum Lyons as well as a double from Ronan Dunphy reduced the margin to the minimum, 1-12 to 1-11 by the 40th minute. The game flowed from end to end with both sides trading points until two in succession by Shane Casey and Eamon Murphy pushed Dunhill three clear (1-18 to 1-15) with two minutes of normal time remaining.

The brilliant Lyons then calmly converted a penalty in the 59th minute after substitute Ross Coffey O’Shea was fouled. That strike tied the game (2-15 to 1-18). Ben Gallagher with his second point of the day nudged Dunhill back in front with normal time now elapsed. Calum Lyons (2) and Jack Lyons hit the match winning points for a Ballyduff Lower side managed by their dad Sean. Jamie Sage did reduce the margin back to the minimum before Eamon Murphy saw his late late goal effort well saved by Michael Atkins sending the cup to the Kilmeaden based side.

Scorers for Ballyduff Lower: C Lyons (1-7, 1-0p, 0-3f), J Lyons (0-7, 0-3f), D Dixon (1-0), R Dunphy (0-3), J Kennedy (0-1). 

Scorers for Dunhill: S Casey (1-5, 0-4f, 1-0p,0-1’65), C Bonnar (0-4), J Sage, E Murphy (0-3 each), D Swift, B Gallagher (0-2 each), Co Quinn (0-1).

BALLYDUFF LOWER: M Atkins A Carroll K Cheasty C O’Brien M Millea C Dunphy D Reade C Lyons D Cheasty E Cummins J Lyons R Dunphy D Dixon J Kennedy J Burns.

Sub: R Coffey O’Shea for Burns (54).

DUNHILL: C Keane W Hally D Phelan K O’Connell J Roche M Harney C Quinn D Swift J Sage T Casey S Casey E Murphy E Casey C Buckley C Bonnar.

Subs: B Gallagher for Buckley and P Noonan for T Casey (42), S McDonald for O’Connell (51). 

Referee: A Fitzgerald