Waterford SHC: Dessie Hutchinson blasts Ballygunner into quarter-finals

UP FOR IT: De La Salle's Eddie Barrett jumping for the sliotar with Ballygunner's Conor Sheehan tackling behind. Pic: Patrick Browne

Ballygunner, Roanmore and Mount Sion are through to the quarter finals of the Waterford SHC.

Dessie Hutchinson hit eight points from play (five in the first half) as the Gunners demolished De La Salle 0-25 to 1-8 on Saturday night at Walsh Park. He has now scored 14 goals and 101 points in 26 club championship games.

"Dessie is X Factor really," remarked manager Darragh O'Sullivan. "When he gets the type of ball he got today, no matter what corner back or full back is on him, he's nearly unmarkable."

The men in red and black are 45 games unbeaten in Waterford. Since the 2013 county final loss to Passage, they have played 56, won 54, drawn one and lost one.

Pauric Mahony also notched eight points (six dead balls and two from play) for the side seeking nine in a row. Younger brother Kevin added three.

Stephen O'Keeffe made an amazing diving save to deny Brian Cunningham after 20 seconds. Aidan Gannon found Cunningham behind the Ballygunner cover but the All Star keeper deflected his shot away for a '65. Eoin Madigan converted for Salle's only first half point.

Ballygunner blitzed them with fourteen in a row. Hutchinson and Mahony fired five apiece as the All Ireland champions led 14-1 at the break. Shane O'Sullivan, Kevin Mahony, Harry Ruddle and Conor Sheahan also split the posts as their savage work rate and slick stick passing devoured De La Salle.

Thomas Douglas forced another fine save from O'Keeffe in injury time before substitute Reuben Halloran blasted the rebound to the net. Gunners sub Patrick Fitzgerald rounded off a facile fourteen point win.

Clonea and Dungarvan drew 1-19 apiece after a thrilling finish in the Fraher Field sunshine yesterday. They were level eight times in the second half.

Clonea led 1-18 to 0-16 entering injury time. Full back Michael Sexton was then dismissed on a second yellow card. Patrick Curran tapped over two frees to bring his tally to eleven. On 64 minutes, a Michael Kiely goal levelled matters. The county footballer then snuck the Blues ahead. He grabbed 1-3 from play.

Jason Gleeson then equalised with his fourteenth point after referee Nicky O'Toole penalised Darragh Lyons for picking the ball off the ground. The drama didn't end there as Curran pulled a free right and wide with the last puck of the game.

Six Curran points (three from play) gave Dungarvan an 11-5 advantage entering first half injury time. Gleeson nailed two dead balls before James Power intercepted a Dungarvan puckout and buried a shot past Darren Duggan (0-11 to 1-7).

Points from Billy Power and Gleeson edged Clonea ahead for the first time on the restart. Curran and Gleeson went point for point during the third quarter before Clonea pulled clear. Three Gleeson frees and one apiece from Ciaran Kirwan and Francis Roche made it 1-18 to 0-16 before that frantic finish.

Despite the loss of Austin Gleeson, Mount Sion secured their second win against Tallow and a place in the last eight (2-21 to 0-11).

Stephen Roche struck six points from play while Alan Kirwan and Martin O'Neill netted in the second half. Gleeson, who shot 1-9 against Abbeyside, went off with a hip injury after 12 minutes.

Three Roche singles made it 5-1 to Sion after 14 minutes. At the other end, a last ditch hook by Martin F O'Neill denied Tommy Ryan a goal.

Ryan accounted for five of Tallow's six first half points. Roche rifled four from play while Martin O'Neill converted four frees to send Sion 13-6 in front at the break. They completed the half with ten wides.

A sideline cut from Ryan reduced the arrears to six. The former county man finished with eight.

On 40 minutes, Kirwan beat three Tallow defenders along the end line before he billowed the roof of the net. Five minutes later, Martin O'Neill lashed home from a similar position. O'Neill totalled 1-6.

2021 runners-up Roanmore defeated intermediate winners Dunhill 4-14 to 1-8.

Ethan Flynn, Conor Ryan, Cian Wadding and Lee Hearne raised green flags in the first half as the Sky Blues raced 4-9 to 0-4 ahead. Ryan and Hearne scored 1-2 apiece for Peter Queally's side.

Gavin O'Brien, Emmet O'Toole and Chris Dempsey added second half points for the runaway winners who were guilty of 18 wides. Eamonn Murphy dispatched a consolation penalty on 47 minutes for Dunhill.