Clinical Ballygunner overcome Loughrea to secure second All-Ireland hurling title
GREATNESS: Ballygunner joint captains Peter Hogan and Michael Mahony lift the Tommy Moore Cup. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
A legacy locked down. A most sought-after second All-Ireland. Ballygunner’s big-day brilliance is no longer in question.
This is a team overflowing with prizes on the lower steps. 12-in-a-row within Waterford borders. Five Munsters since 2018. But one All-Ireland alone was out of kilter with this collection.
They needed that second All-Ireland. They craved that second All-Ireland. They would have been defined without a second All-Ireland. They’ll now be defined by having that second All-Ireland.
In the modern era of club hurling, Ballyguner join Cuala, St Thomas’, Portumna, and Ballyhale as the truly great teams to return to GAA HQ and acquaint with Tommy Moore on more than one occasion.
They were the more clinical here. They were the more efficient. They were the more composed. Stephen O’Keeffe receiving the official man of the match tells the story of Loughrea converting just one of five goal openings.
The fourth of those was manufactured early in the second half. Johnny Coen sliced a sumptuous delivery over the top to Caimin Killeen. O’Keeffe rushed out and smothered the shot.
Caimin’s brother, Tiernan, brought stalemate at 1-9 to 0-12 shortly after. It was the last time there would be stalemate.
On 35 minutes, and very close to the timeframe at which they hurried away from St Martin’s in the semi-final, Ballygunner set out on their final lap to a second All-Ireland in four years.
A long delivery broke kindly. Peter Hogan snapped possession and offloaded to Mikey Mahony. Still 40 metres from goal, Mahony blazed a trail and turned in a fine finish. Their lead out to three. Their lead would never be less than two from there to the line.
Space was found with much greater ease in the Loughrea half. Scores were found with much greater ease too. There was a calmness to their play even though this was far from vintage Ballygunner.
A three-in-a-row approaching the 50-minute mark shoved them five clear. Sub Mark Hartley was fouled for a converted free. The outstanding Kevin Mahony won a delivery and then nailed the target despite three blue shirts in close attention. Hartley then wrote his name onto the scoresheet.
Vince Morgan threatened a Loughrea goal. He was halted just as the trigger went to be pulled. Jamie Ryan executed a superb point over on the Cusack Stand sideline. There was nowhere near enough of these moments from the back-to-back Galway champions.
Kevin Mahony won a pair of late frees to doubly confirm his outstanding contribution. Pauric converted both. The latter won another himself. They won the last quarter 0-7 to 0-2.
The opening two quarters were a ferocious contest. Separation did not exist.
At some point in the second quarter, Dessie Hutchinson, either by himself or the sideline, was redeployed out the field. He had, up to that juncture and as he had all season, operated as one half of Ballygunner’s inside duo.
Dessie delivered their opening point around 78 seconds in. It brought his tally for the club campaign to 9-78. It was to be his sole first-half score. He had one assist for Patrick Fitzgerald and chalked up three wides.
It’s not his shooting, though, we want to draw attention to. It was Loughrea’s success, largely through Shane Morgan, Kieran Hanrahan, and Johnny Coen, in condensing the space in front of him. Deliveries into his orbit were thus discouraged. It’s why someone in the Ballygunner set-up deemed necessary that their most in-form forward be brought out the field to deliver greater involvement.
Even allowing for Dessie’s quieter-than-usual presence on the scoresheet, Ballygunner were not struggling to create opportunities. Kevin Mahony stormed into the decider. He struck their third and fourth points. He was fouled for their sixth. He’d add a third before the half was out.
Their middle-third interplay was as ever so impressive. It was further inside, as alluded to, where problems arose. Indeed, there was one example around the 18th minute of Dessie being fed in the corner where the Canal meets the Hogan.
Under pressure, he recycled possession out to Mikey Mahony. Under further pressure, Mahony recycled further out to Harry Ruddle. Possession was now back at halfway. The turnover came.
The problem for Loughrea was that no score came at the end of the turnover. Caimin Killeen shot wide. One of eight Loughrea first-half wides. There was a ninth point attempt short. There were Anthony Burns and Vince Morgan goal efforts repelled by Stephen O’Keeffe.
The opening period’s sole goal arrived on 28 minutes. Ian Hanrahan dispossessed Mikey Mahony. Joe Mooney delivered, Darren Shaughnessy with the deft flick beyond the onrushing O’Keeffe.
The green flag moved Loughrea in front for the first time. 1-7 to 0-9. Ballygunner’s reply was instant and ruthlessly impressive. Peter Hogan’s goal shot rattled the crossbar and flew over. Kevin Mahony returned them into the lead position.
Tieran Killeen’s free levelled matters for a fifth time. A Pauric Mahony free following a foul on Mikey Mahony gave Ballygunner the last say of the half. They had the last say full stop.
Pauric Mahony (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-2 ‘65); K Mahony (0-4); M Mahony (1-1); C Sheahan, P Fitzgerald (0-2 each); D Hutchinson, P Hogan, M Hartley (0-1 each).
T Killeen (0-6, 0-6 frees); D Shaughnessy (1-1); J Ryan (0-2); J Coen, I Hanrahan, A Burns, V Morgan, N Keary (0-1 each).
S O’Keeffe; T Foley, I Kenny, A O’Neill; H Ruddle, Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheahan, P Leavy; P Hogan, P Mahony, M Mahony; K Mahony, D Hutchinson, P Fitzgerald.
M Hartley for Fitzgerald (38); C Tobin for Sheahan (55); C Power for K Mahony (61).
G Loughnane; P Hoban, S Morgan, K Hanrahan; J Mooney, J Coen, B Keary; I Hanrahan, Cullen Killeen; Caimin Killeen, T Killeen, J Ryan; D Shaughnessy, A Burns, V Morgan.
A Kelly for Keary (40); G Maher for Mooney (45); S Sweeney for Hoban (51 inj); M McManus for Shaughnessy, N Keary for Killeen (both 55).
C Mooney (Dublin).
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