Ballygunner blow De La Salle away to power into yet another county final 

Waterford SHC semi-final: Ballygunner 1-27 De La Salle 0-14 

Ballygunner powered their way into another county final thanks to a magnificent second half performance as they blew away the challenge of city rivals De La Salle at Azzurri Walsh Park on Saturday evening.

The champions started this game without Dessie Hutchinson, Patrick Fitzgerald and Pauric Mahony, yet having played against the breeze in the first half which blew into the city end, they turned around at the break with a 0-11 to 0-8 advantage.

The early exchanges as expected were tight as Eoin Cuddihy, one of the replacements brought in for their three missing forwards hit a brace of scores, Kevin Mahony and Conor Tobin hit one each, while Adam Farrell with a brace and Conor Keane replying for the three-time champions.

Midway through the half, Ballygunner led 0-6 to 0-4, but in the second quarter as it progressed, the All-Ireland champions began to find their feet and four points in a row from Conor Tobin, Cormac Power, Eoin Cuddihy and Kevin Mahony put them five in front heading for half time.

De La Salle however would finish the half stronger as Jack Fagan and Jack Twomey split the posts to cut the gap to three.

De La Salle were no match for a Ballygunner side who now will go in search of a title number 13 in a 14-year period of dominance in the Déise County.

The second half was less than 30 seconds old and Ballygunner had the games only goal scored. 

Winning the ball from the throw-in the ball was worked down the covered stand side of the field to Conor Tobin who put in a Man of the Match performance, and once he had the ball he showed a clean pair of heels to the De La Salle defence and fired past Shaun O’Brien from close range.

The champions introduced Pauric Mahony after two minutes of the second half replacing Jake Foley who earlier this year was part of the Ballygunner B team in the same championship, and he bettered the six points he scored in their quarter final win over Lismore, again after coming on as a sub, this time finishing with seven.

De La Salle found it very difficult to break down a strong Ballygunner defence in the second half, meaning scores were hard won. 

At the other end, all that Ballygunner did appeared to turn to gold as they finished the game with 10 different scorers, and were able to empty their bench in the second half.

Scorers for Ballygunner: C Tobin 1-5, Pauric Mahony 0-7 (4f), E Cuddihy 0-4 (3f), C Power, K Mahony 0-3 each, M Mahony, M Hartley, T Foley, J Foley, R Power 0-1 each.

Scorers for De La Salle: J Twomey 0-4 (1 ’65). C Dawson 0-3, A Farrell 0-2, M Costigan, J Fagan, C Keane, S Power, C O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

Ballygunner: S O’Keeffe; A O’Neill, I Kenny, T Foley; C Power, Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheehan, P Leavy; C Tobin, E Cuddihy, P Hogan; J Foley, K Mahony, M Mahony.

Subs: Pauric Mahony for J Foley (32), M Hartley for Cuddihy (46), H Ruddle for C Power (51), G Corbett for C Keane (54), E O’Brien for Hogan (58).

De La Salle: S O’Brien; D Keane, D Lalor, L Dwyer; M Costigan, J Dillon, C Power; S McNulty, T Moran; A Farrell, J Fagan, R Halloran; C Keane, C Dawson, J Twomey.

Subs: S Power for Dwyer (33), C Morris for C Power (47), S Flynn for Moran (55), C O’Callaghan for C Keane (58), B Cunningham for Halloran (59).

Referee: T Walsh (Modeligo).

Footage courtesy of Clubber TV.