Newly-wed Beston caps memorable weekend with hat-trick as Ballygiblin blitz St Kieran's 

An unforgettable weekend too for Shane Beston, who got married on Saturday, with 3-3 from play.

PERFECT WEEKEND: Ballygiblin Captain Fionn Herlihy and Shane Beston who scored 3.03 holding the trophy aloft after their sides victory over St. Kieran’s in the Munster junior hurling championship final. Pic: Dan Linehan

Munster Club JHC final: Ballygiblin (Cork) 3-12 St Kieran’s (Limerick) 0-11 

A historic occasion for Ballygiblin in Mallow as they retained the AIB Munster club JHC title a mere 11 months after their first memorable victory. A regrading in Cork meant they qualified for the provincial competition, and they grasped the opportunity with enthusiasm.

An unforgettable weekend too for Shane Beston, who got married on Saturday. They were led by an outstanding performance from the wing-forward, a hat-trick of goals supplied by the man-of-the-match in the opening half set them on their way. He finished with 3-3 - and all from play.

Significant too for skipper Fionn Herlihy who captained his side to Munster honours two seasons in-a-row.

West Limerick side St Kieran’s were always chasing a result. As well, they were dependent on their hard-working captain Ian Mackessy for their scores. He tallied 10 of their 11.

With the breeze, St Kieran’s couldn’t have asked for a better start with Darragh Treacy pointing in the third minute. However, Joseph O’Sullivan responded with a ’65 a minute later.

There was a stoppage then for an injury to St Kieran’s James Muckell, who had to retire. When play resumed, Shane Beston finished a great four-man move involving Barry Coffey, Cathail O’Mahony and Seán O’Sullivan, to the net.

Beston’s marker Jack Ben Hartnett picked up a yellow card around the same time.

Ballygiblin, opting for O’Mahony and Seán O’Sullivan in the inside line and to good effect, stretched their advantage when Beston latched onto a Killian Roche delivery for Ballygiblin’s second goal in the 17th minute.

Mackessy’s fourth point from a placed ball left the score, 2-2 to 0-5 on the approach to half-time.

With at least six minutes of stoppage, there was time for plenty more action. Mackessy rifled over a huge point from out the field but St Kieran’s missed a couple of vital chances to draw level.

When an O’Mahony shot came back off the post, Beston found himself in the right place to complete his hat-trick. It enabled the north Cork team lead at the interval 3-2 to 0-7 at the interval.

Twenty seconds into the second-half, Beston added a point to his tally. Mackessy did his best to try and reel them back in, but Joseph O’Sullivan made sure he kept the Ballygiblin scoreboard moving, 3-6 to 0-9 at the three-quarter mark.

As the wides added up for St Kieran’s, Joseph O’Sullivan stretched the lead with unerring accuracy for Dave Moher’s charges.

Heading into the fourth quarter, they outscored the Limerick club six points to two.

In a game with just four scorers - two for each side - it is Ballygiblin who head into the All-Ireland series. They await the winners of the Leinster final between Horsewood (Wexford) and Commercials (Dublin) in the All-Ireland semi-final on December 17/18.

Scorers for Ballygiblin: S Beston (3-3), J O’Sullivan (0-9, 0-7 frees, 0-1 65).

Scorers for St Kieran’s: I Mackessy (0-10, 0-8 frees, 0-1 65), D Treacy (0-1).

BALLYGIBLIN: C Noonan; L Finn, F Herlihy (Capt), J Mullins; B Coffey, M Keane, M Lewis; R Donegan, K Roche; D Flynn, D Barry, S Beston; C O’Mahony, S O’Sullivan, J O’Sullivan.

Subs: K Duggan for D Barry (29 inj), D Sheehan for M Lewis (53).

ST KIERAN’S: C Ambrose; D Mulcahy, P McCarthy, A Heffernan; J B Hartnett, B McCarthy, C McEnery; S Ryan, M Shine; D Treacy, J McCarthy, C Mann; E McEnery, J Muckell, I Mackessy (Capt).

Subs: D Nolan for J Muckell (11 inj), A Molyneaux for C Mann (43), M Flynn for D Nolan (52).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Tipperary).