Waterford Senior Club Hurling Championship
Group stage:
July 13: Ballygunner 2-26 – 0-11 Abbeyside
July 19: Ballygunner 4-26 – 0-8 Brickey Rangers
July 26: Clonea 0-14 – 1-24 Ballygunner
August 3: Ballygunner 3-27 – 0-20 De La Salle
August 9: Roanmore 0-12 – 3-24 Ballygunner
Quarter-final:
August 23: Ballygunner 2-27 – 2-9 Passage
Semi-final:
August 31: Ballygunner 2-16 – 1-13 De La Salle
September 7: Ballygunner 2-35 – 1-16 Mount Sion – Final
Ballygunner made it twelve county titles in-a-row in Waterford with a 22-point mauling of Mount Sion.
Mikey Mahony and Peter Hogan raised the News & Star Cup as the heavens opened in Walsh Park. Mahony claimed his fifth county final man-of-the-match after shooting eleven points. Dessie Hutchinson (1-6 ) and Patrick Fitzgerald (1-3 ) also came up trumps for Jason Ryan’s charges.
Ballygunner are now 66 matches unbeaten in the Waterford championship, a run that dates back to June 23, 2015.
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
November 2: Na Piarsaigh 0-15 – 0-18 Ballygunner – Quarter-final
This was by no means Ballygunner’s finest performance but they got the job done against Limerick champions Na Piarsaigh.
It was a game marred by missed chances, but Na Piarsaigh took the lead for the first and only time in the 52nd minute. From there Ballygunner rose their game, they got more bodies behind the ball and exploited space to slot over five of the last six scores.
For the seventh consecutive year, Ballygunner knocked out the Limerick county champions. A semi-final showdown with Sarsfields was next on the agenda.
November 16: Sarsfields 2-17 – 4-18 Ballygunner – Semi-final
Ballygunner got revenge against reigning Munster champions Sarsfields in the provincial semi-final.
The Waterford champions fired four goals on their way to securing revenge at Walsh Park. Two goals from Dessie Hutchinson and goals from Patrick Fitzgerald and Kevin Mahony sealed victory for Jason Ryan’s men.
Ballygunner made a lightning start as the returning Pauric Mahony pointed the opener from a 65 on three minutes, before the same man nailed a free to establish an early two-point cushion. Their bright start got a whole lot better on eight minutes as the game’s opening goal arrived through Hutchinson.
After 12 minutes, Ballygunner led by 2-5 to 0-1 further highlighting their early dominance. Sarsfields showed fight, but the Waterford champions entered the interval 2-11 to 1-6 to the good.
Sarsfields roared back into contention at the start of the second half James Sweeney squared to Luke Elliott to find the net and it was a five-point affair from nowhere. It didn’t take long for Ballygunner to muster a goal of their own as Fitzgerald raced away and make it 3-12 to 2-07 again on 34 minutes, restoring the half-time lead.
The fourth goal came when Mahony cut inside to strike an effort into the top right corner which made it 4-13 to 2-08.
Goals win games as the adage goes, and Ballygunner cruised into the provincial final to take on Éire Óg, Inis of Clare.
November 30: Éire Óg, Inis 1-9 – 0-21 Ballygunner – Final
Ballygunner claimed their sixth Munster title in a nine-point victory over Éire Óg, Inis at Semple Stadium.
The victory put Ballygunner atop the Munster hurling roll of honour. Dessie Hutchinson put in a man-of-the-match display as his side cruised to an All-Ireland semi-final.
It was Éire Óg that started brightest as they led 0-3 to 0-2 after eight minutes. Danny Russell scored a couple of frees either side of a Darren Moroney score from play. That was the Clare champions’ only score from play of the half.
Ballygunner reeled off 10 of the last 11 points of the half to leave themselves 0-12 to 0-4 ahead going into half time.
Hutchinson quickly emerged as the dominant figure as he floated in and out of the right corner-forward berth. He scored 0-7 from play. Philip Mahony mopped up everything Éire Óg hit long.
For some of the Ballygunner squad, this represented their fifth Munster medal in seven seasons. A clash with St Martin’s of Wexford awaits in the All-Ireland semi-final.
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship:
December 21: Ballygunner 0-19 – 0-10 St Martin’s – Semi-final
Ballygunner booked their place in their first All-Ireland final in four years with a comfortable nine-point victory over St Martin’s at Semple Stadium.
The Wexford champions were in control early in the second half as they led 0-8 to 0-5. Ballygunner put their opponents to the sword as they fired home 14 of the next 15 points.
Teenager Mark Hartley was at the heart of the comeback for his side. Of their initial eight-point surge, he scored one, assisted two, and won two converted frees. Dessie Hutchinson once more was impactful, accounting for 0-7, while Pauric Mahony hit home 0-7 after a scoreless first half.
It was yet another glimpse into Ballygunner’s resilience and scoring power. St Martin’s put in an excellent first half defensive display, forcing the Munster Champions into 1o wides. Hartley’s introduction spelled a turning point.
Ballygunner rounded off an unanswered burst of 0-08 in 12 minutes for a five-point lead. Jack O’Connor pulled one back for St Martin’s but Ballygunner shot six more through Hutchinson (0-03, one free ), Pauric Mahony (free ), Peter Hogan, and Harry Ruddle.
All roads lead to Croker as Ballygunner prepare for battle with Galway champions Loughrea on Sunday, January 18.
