Dessie Hutchinson, Ballygunner, and Brian McGrath, Loughmore-Castleiney, in AIB Munster Club SHC action. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
AIB Munster Club SHC Semi-Final
Ballygunner 1-26 Loughmore-Castleiney 1-16
By Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park
Four in a row chasing Ballygunner are back in the Munster club final for the seventh successive season.
A scoring burst of 1-6 without reply just before half time put the game beyond Tipperary double winners Loughmore-Castleiney. An 11th straight provincial victory for Darragh O'Sullivan's men.
All six forwards scored from play. Pauric Mahony continued a prolific club campaign with nine points (five from play). Kevin Mahony fired 1-3 including that crucial goal in first half injury time. Workaholic wing forward Peter Hogan was back to his best with four points from play. The distribution of goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe remains so key to their success.
Pauric Mahony punished Loughmore off a counter attack with just 30 seconds on the clock. The Tipp champions went with the breeze in the opening half. John McGrath and Ciaran Connolly levelled it up at three apiece. The Gunners hit three points in the space of a minute.
Dessie Hutchinson assisted two for Peter Hogan and Mahony before Hogan added his second. Hutchinson then dispossessed Loughmore goalkeeper Aidan McGrath in the tenth minute but his shot stung the side netting.
Kevin Mahony was also closed down as he advanced on goal. 2017 All Star goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe split the posts from his own half as the wind assisted Gunners stayed three clear.
Five first half points from John McGrath and one apiece from wing backs John Ryan and Ed Meagher left Loughmore just a point down (0-9 to 0-8) after 27 minutes.
The Gunners fired 1-6 in seven sensational minutes approaching the break. Pauric Mahony completed the half with seven to his credit (five from play). Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony and Hogan also raised white flags. Four minutes into added time, they went hunting a three pointer. From an O'Keeffe puckout, Hutchinson flicked the ball inside to Patrick Fitzgerald who sprayed it across goal to Kevin Mahony.
From a tight angle, the full forward found the far corner of the cobwebs. His fourth major of the season. The eleven in a row Waterford winners had turned a one point advantage into a ten point advantage (1-15 to 0-8).
The game was up for Loughmore but they never threw in the towel. Liam McGrath was denied a goal two minutes into the second half by a brave block from Philip Mahony.
Peter Hogan hit his fourth from play before departing to rapturous applause seven minutes from time. Kevin Mahony clipped two points in quick succession.
Gunners boss Darragh O'Sullivan could run the bench with the Munster final in mind. Substitute Cormac Power contributed two late singles.
Stephen O'Keeffe saved a quickly taken free from John McGrath before Ciaran McCormack's 65 found the back of the Ballygunner net in the 59th minute.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-9 (4fs), Kevin Mahony 1-3, Dessie Hutchinson (1 65), Peter Hogan 0-4 each, Cormac Power 0-2, Stephen O'Keeffe, Conor Sheahan, Patrick Fitzgerald, Mikey Mahony 0-1 each.
Scorers for Loughmore-Castleiney: John McGrath 0-9 (7fs, 1 65), Ciaran McCormack 1-0 (65), Ciaran Connolly 0-2, John Ryan, Ed Meagher, Noel McGrath (f), Liam Treacy, John Meagher 0-1 each.
Ballygunner: Stephen O'Keeffe; Ian Kenny, Barry Coughlan, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Peter Hogan, Pauric Mahony, Mikey Mahony; Dessie Hutchinson, Kevin Mahony, Patrick Fitzgerald.
Subs: Cormac Power for Fitzgerald (48), Shane O'Sullivan for Hogan (53), Conor Tobin for Mikey Mahony (56), Aaron O'Neill for Foley (59), Jake Foley for Pauric Mahony (59).
Loughmore-Castleiney: Aidan McGrath; Lorcan Egan, Willie Eviston, Eoin O'Connell; John Ryan, Brian McGrath, Ed Meagher; Noel McGrath, Ciaran Connolly; Tommy Maher, Tomás McGrath, Ed Connolly; John McGrath, Ciaran McGrath, Liam McGrath.
Subs: Ciaran McCormack for O'Connell (HT), John Meagher for Maher (HT), Paul McCahey for Ed Connolly (45), Liam Treacy for Ciaran McGrath (46), Darragh McCahey for Ryan (53).
Referee: Ciaran O'Regan (Cork).
