Ballyhale Shamrocks hit Clough-Ballacolla for six in Leinster final

The Kilkenny champions, claimed their 11th Leinster senior title, with a powerful display at Croke Park 

Joey Holden of Shamrocks Ballyhale gets away from Willie Dunphy of Clough Ballacolla in today's AIB Leinster Club SHC final at Croke Park 

AIB Leinster Club SHC final

Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 6-23 

Clough-Ballacolla 0-14 

Goal-hungry Ballyhale Shamrocks claimed an 11th Leinster senior title in emphatic fashion at Croke Park this afternoon.

Leading by 10 points at the break, third quarter goals by Adrian Mullen and Brian Cody ended the contest against a brave but limited Clough-Ballacolla effort.

The margin was 18 points at the second water break, 5-15 to 0-12, and a sixth goal arrived in the 52nd minute, substitute Eoin Reid producing an outstanding piece of skill to flick a delivery over his shoulder and to the net.

Shamrocks’s first goal came in the fourth minute, Eoin Cody firing past Cathal Dunne. Clough-Ballacolla, however, recovered well and scored the next three points to level the game. Aidan Corby’s third point squared matters again in the 15th minute before Cody gave the Kilkenny champions the lead going into the water break, 1-4 to 0-6.

Colin Fennelly raised the green flag for the first time in the 21st minute, Adrian Mullen finding TJ Reid who in turn supplied Fennelly and he finished low. Again, Clough-Ballacolla bounced back to reduce the margin to three points but once more their efforts were undone as Fennelly showed composure in the 23rd minute to lob the ball over Dunne.

Fennelly could have had the hat-trick in the 26th minute but his attempt went narrowly wide. But Shamrocks’s boots never left Clough-Ballacolla’s necks and they finished out the half with four points to make it 3-11 to 0-10.

Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: E. Cody (1-6, 0-3 frees); C. Fennelly (2-1); T.J. Reid (0-6, frees); R. Corcoran (0-4); E. Reid, B. Cody (1-1 each); A. Mullen (1-0); P. Mullen, M. Hennessy, D. Corcoran (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clough-Ballacolla: A. Corby (0-4); W. Dunphy, S. Maher (all frees) (0-3 each); L. Cleere, B. Corby, J. Walshe, C. Dunne (0-1 each).

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: D. Mason; J. Holden, K. Mullen, D. Mullen; E. Shefflin, R. Reid, D. Corcoran; R. Corcoran, P. Mullen; E. Kenneally, E. Cody, A. Mullen; E. Kenneally, C. Fennelly (c), T.J. Reid.

Subs for Ballyhale Shamrocks: C. Phelan for E. Shefflin (42); E. Reid for T.J. Reid, C. Walsh for P. Mullen (both 47); B. Butler for K. Mullen (52); L. Barron for M. Kenneally (55).

CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA: C. Dunne; D. Conway, D. Maher, E. Doyle; B. Corby, M. McEvoy, L. Cleere; R. Phelan; W. Hyland, A. Corby; S. Bergin, J. Walshe, M. Hennessy; W. Dunphy, S. Maher (c).

Subs for Clough-Ballacolla: R. Broderick for D. Maher (36); K. Dunne for W. Hyland (42); J. Dwyer for S. Bergin (45); T. Delaney for M. McEvoy (47); S. Corby for M. Hennessy (53).

Referee: R. Fitzsimons (Offaly).