De La Salle stand between Ballygunner and remarkable 14th straight Waterford final
De La Salle gave Ballygunner a scare in last year's Waterford SHC semi-final. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
All-Ireland champions Ballygunner eye a remarkable 14th Waterford SHC final place in a row when they face De La Salle in Saturday's semi-final.
The Gunners are 72 games unbeaten — the last Déise side to topple them competitively being De La Salle — a whole 11 years and 2 months ago.
All eras must come to an end, and Ballygunner manager Jason Ryan knows his side will be in for a serious test at Walsh Park on Saturday, given the scare provided to them by the same opposition at this stage in 2025.
On that afternoon, 14-man Ballygunner trailed after 5r8 minutes - Pauric Mahony and Dessie Hutchinson’s brilliance saw them win by six points a few minutes later.
“It was down to the wire and it looked for long stages that De La Salle had us beaten," Ryan reflects. "They’ve played really well in their last two games and Jack Twomey and Jack Fagan are in great form, Jake Dillon has them really well marshalled at the back. It’s going to be a huge challenge but isn’t it great to have games of this calibre.”
De La Salle have quietly kicked into gear as this season has progressed - putting group defeat to the Gunners behind them, beating Abbeyside Ballinacourty to finish second before dispatching city rivals Mount Sion by a solitary point.
They would love nothing more than to lift the News & Star Cup for the first time since 2012 - but talisman Jack Fagan knows there is no tougher task in club hurling than trying to topple Ballygunner.
“They’re the best team in the country - God knows what they’re winning streak is. Once you get to the knockout, every week is like a final. Our priority will just have to be to focus on ourselves and look a bit at Ballygunner, but sure everyone in Ireland knows how good they are. Momentum is huge and feeds into a good training week as well - you’d be buzzing to go to training. We’ll give it a fair crack.”
On Sunday, Fourmilewater have the opportunity to reach a first senior final if they can overcome Roanmore at Fraher Field. In their centenary year, the Nire men are unbeaten to date - having won Group B before going on to defeat Passage.
Aaron Ryan has shot the lights out with 3-63, 3-21 from play in six outings - while Sean Walsh has 3-14 and new recruit Liam O’Brien, a former Lory Meagher Player of the Year for Cavan - has also hit the ground running. Add in Jamie Barron, Evan Spelman and a host of other recognisable names and you realise the potential.
Only one team has had the answers to their scoring power - Roanmore. The sides played out a 1-16 apiece draw in the group phase, a game both will feel they left behind. The Sky Blues got the last laugh last year when Rory Furlong’s late goal knocked Fourmilewater out and sent Roanmore to the semis. Revenge is certainly on the minds of the Fourmile men, Aaron Ryan in particular.
“We kind of knew after last year losing the quarter-final - we said we're not going to lose another one this year, and we're back where we want to be. That’s our main objective, keep building lads, get a couple of lads progressing to the senior team every year, and hopefully then that will take care of itself.”
Roanmore also have unfinished business, having been denied a county final spot last season by some late Austin Gleeson heroics for rivals Mount Sion. Waterford goalkeeper Billy Nolan says they’ll do everything to banish those unwanted memories.
“We’re happy now being in a semi-final, we were narrowly beaten last year - disappointed with how we performed on the day with an extra man for 50 minutes. Fourmilewater are a very good team. To get back and right the wrongs is a huge thing.”
The curtain-raiser for that clash will see Brickey Rangers and Clashmore Kinsalebeg battle it out for a place in the senior ranks at 1.45pm.
The Brickeys seek immediate promotion following relegation a year prior, while Clashmore could secure senior hurling status for the first time in the club’s 141-year history.
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