Foley on fire as Ballygunner overcome Saggart

CHAMPIONS: Ballygunner celebrate their victory over Ballysaggart in the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Co IHC final at Fraher Field, Dungarvan.

Waterford IHC Final 

Ballygunner 2-29 

Ballysaggart 3-20 (AET) 

Waterford U-20 attacker Jake Foley fired 1-8 from play as Ballygunner overcame Ballysaggart after extra time in a classic county intermediate final under the Fraher Field floodlights.

Saggart led by three points entering injury time of normal time before Gunners wing back Tom Gallagher flicked home the equalising goal from an Eoin O'Brien 65. The teams were level on 10 occasions. Déise All-Star Stephen Bennett shot 2-13 (2-4 from play) but finished on the losing side.

The sides were level four times in the first half. Stephen Bennett slotted seven points. Shane Bennett got a wonder score off the throw in. Shane and Stephen were both shown yellow cards. Ballygunner's All Ireland final hero Harry Ruddle tied the scores at ten points each with an injury time effort.

Jake Foley found the top corner for the Gunners six minutes into the second period (1-12 to 0-11). Two minutes later, Stephen Bennett connected with a Darren Meagher delivery to billow the net. Bennett's second goal on 46 minutes made it 2-13 to 1-13. Saggart shot stopper Michael Ryan then produced a full length penalty save from David Walsh. Another Shane Bennett beauty kept them three points clear heading into the dying moments before Tom Gallagher forced extra time (2-18 apiece).

30 seconds in, Kyle Bennett netted from an acute angle. Harry Ruddle and Jake Foley brought Ballygunner back level at the break (3-19 to 2-22).

The Gunners outscored their opponents seven points to one over the second period. Man of the match Foley added two more while David Walsh completed the night with ten in total. Ballysaggart finished with fourteen men as Chris O'Gorman got a straight red card for dissent.

Scorers for Ballygunner: J Foley 1-8, D Walsh 0-10 (4fs, 1 65), H Ruddle 0-4, T Gallagher 1-0, C Power, E O'Brien 0-3 each, G Corbett 0-1.

Scorers for Ballysaggart: Stephen Bennett 2-13 (8fs, 1 65), K Bennett 1-0, Shane Bennett 0-2, K Cashel, T Nugent, S Ryan, R Walsh, C O'Gorman 0-1 each.

Ballygunner: M Kilgannon; C Cantwell, N Byrne, T Gallagher; S Harney, B O'Sullivan, E O'Brien; D O'Keeffe, G Flynn; H Ruddle, C Power, C Berry; D Walsh, J Foley, G Corbett.

Subs: E Hayden for Flynn (HT), L Horgan for Corbett (53), G Corbett for Berry (77).

Ballysaggart: M Ryan; L O'Gorman, D Meagher, E O'Brien; J Roche, S Ryan, S Mangan; Shane Bennett, R Bennett; R Walsh, C O'Gorman, K Bennett; Stephen Bennett, K Cashel, T Nugent.

Subs: K Fennessy for Nugent (40), C O'Gorman for Fennessy (60), Referee: N Barry