'We shut them down' - Ballygunner come good in third-quarter to seal Munster progress
ONTO THE NEXT ONE: Barry Coughlan of Ballygunner is congratulated by backroom team member Dave Sheehan. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Ballygunner’s sense of timing was yet again on the money as they came up trumps in the second half to advance past a strong Na Piarsaigh side.
If Harry Ruddle's 11th hour winning goal in the All-Ireland final was more dramatic, this performance was a case of coming good when the fat was in the fire in the third quarter and a real testament to their refusal to panic after an iffy first half.
Having hit three early wides, Pauric Mahony turned back the years to produce a stunning 13-point display, seven of his scores coming from play. While Ballygunner’s half-back line, which had looked slightly suspect in the first half, thundered into the game in the second half.
Reducing Na Piarsaigh to just four points after half-time and transforming a five-point deficit into a five-point victory with a second half total of 1-11 will do the confidence of this Darragh O’Sullivan group no end of good.
As if that belief in themselves needed further reassurance.
Watched by a 3,321 crowd in LIT Gaelic Grounds, Ballygunner may have been lacking in size and, at times, pace but such was the neatness of their stickwork that Na Piarsaigh were regularly surrendering their shape in the second half. That a midfielder of Will O’Donoghue’s quality lost Conor Sheahan for back-to-back points said a lot about Ballygunner’s work ethic.
It had been lacking to a degree in the first half but the Limerick winners were given little time to get comfortable on the ball thereafter.
“We shut them down, in fairness,” smiled O’Sullivan.
“Barry Coughlan was massive in the full-back line too. A lot of one-on-ones went in there and he broke the ball out and came out with it.
“Ronan Power’s point in the second half from underneath the stand... phenomenal scores, like. It’s hugely pleasing for the group and the club and the players to do what we did in that second half but, look, there’s no cup here today. That’s the reality of sport, the cup is the next day. That’s what we have to focus on now and go after that to the best of our ability.”
Trailing 1-9 to 2-11 after a terrfic opening half of hurling, Mahony almost single-handedly ate into Na Piarsaigh’s lead after the restart. Patrick Fitzgerald’s 40th minute goal via a Stephen O’Keeffe puck-out made it a one-point game, Mahony levelled the game seconds later and then put them ahead with a free.
Na Piarsaigh levelled it up in the 45th minute yet Sheahan added a brace of points and Ballygunner weren’t touched for the remainder. Power and Mahony doubled their advantage to four. Keith Dempsey brought Na Piarsaigh to within a score but fittingly Mahony capped off a virtuoso display with two further points.
Na Piarsaigh’s start was brighter as they rattled off the first three points, two of them Kevin Downes frees. Ballygunner settled with a couple in the space of three minutes, but the Limerick winners strung another three together as Ballygunner’s deservedly vaunted puck-out suffered.
Dessie Hutchinson’s 14th minute goal, taking receipt of a tidy pass from Fitzgerald before rifling to the net, brought the All-Ireland champions to within a point. Downes was quick in responding with a long-distance point. However, Ballygunner’s tails were up, especially Mahony’s after he had endured a shaky start with three wides.
In a rambling role around the half-forward line, he sent over two points in the space of 60 seconds, but the lead was shortlived as in the 20th minute O’Donoghue split open the Ballygunner defence to find his on-running midfield partner Keith Dempsey and he beat O’Keeffe.
Pauric Mahony replied swiftly with his third point from play but Na Piarsaigh’s running from deep was causing Ballygunner’s seasoned half-back line trouble. The margin was two points in Na Piarsaigh’s favour when Jerome Boylan broke through in the 26th minute, found Daithí Dempsey who handpassed over his shoulder to Conor Boylan and his strike was empathic.
With his third point, Henn put Na Piarsaigh six points to the good but Pauric Mahony’s third free reduced Ballygunner’s deficit slightly going into the break. At half-time, manager O’Sullivan spoke of calmness in the visitors’ dressing room. Players, particularly the veterans, didn’t need to be reminded that what they had contributed to that point wasn’t up to scratch.
"Well, we’re not used to going in five points down in a match," said O'Sullivan. "Normally, we’re up for or five points. So how they dealt with that was phenomenal. They never panicked. Stuck to the process.
“A massive, massive victory for us. So proud of the lads. Delighted for them. Because it was backs-to-the-wall stuff. Everyone came here, knew it was two juggernauts as I call them coming up against each other. I hope they got the value for money, those that watched it at home or were here because to me it was a phenomenal game of hurling of two really top, top-class teams who went at it hammer and tongs.”
K. Downes (0-4, 3 frees); C. Boylan, K. Dempsey (1-1 each); W. Henn, P. Casey (0-3 each); M. Foley, D. Dempsey, R. Lynch (free) (0-1 each).
Pauric Mahony (0-13, 6 frees); C. Sheahan (0-4); P. Fitzgerald (1-1); D. Hutchinson (1-0); P. Hogan, R. Power (0-1 each).
E. Condon; M. Casey, C. King, R. Lynch; M. Foley, E. McEvoy, J. Boylan; W. O’Donoghue (c), K. Dempsey; P. Casey, K. Downes, C. Boylan; W. Henn, D. Dempsey, A. Breen.
S. Long for M. Foley (29); T. Grimes for M. Casey (inj 54); D. Breen for K. Downes (57).
S. O’Keeffe; I. Kenny (j-c), B. Coughlan, T. Foley; S. O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, R. Power; C. Sheahan, P. Leavey; Pauric Mahony, M. Mahony, P. Hogan; P. Fitzgerald, D. Hutchinson (j-c), K. Mahony.
H. Ruddle for P. Fitzgerald (57); B. O’Keeffe for K. Mahony (60+1).
C. Lyons (Cork).
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