Ballygunner edge past Na Piarsaigh in Munster Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final

NA PIARSAIGH were defeated by Ballygunner 0-18 to 0-15 in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final on Sunday evening in the TUS Gaelic Grounds. 

Ballygunner outscored their opponents 0-5 to 0-1 in the final seven minutes of the second half, and that late surge ultimately proved decisive as Na Piarsaigh fell just short. Ballygunner found scores more freely, with 0-13 of their points coming from play, while over half of Na Piarsaigh’s total came from frees and a 65

On 52 minutes, Shane O'Neill's side led 0-14 to 0-13 but it was Ballygunner who finished strongly to hang on for a victory. 

Na Piarsaigh's William O'Donoghue and Ballygunner sharpshooter Pauric Mahony were both ruled out through injury before the game. 

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The sides have developed an intense rivalry over the last decade in the Munster SHC. 2017 was the last time Na Piarsaigh got a victory against Ballgunner in the provincial championship and this was Ballygunner's fourth victory in-a-row over Na Piarsaigh in the Munster SHC. 

The Caherdavin side won their ninth Limerick SHC defeating Doon 2-25 to 2-18 after extra-time. This was Ballygunner's first competitive game since their 2-35 to 1-16 Waterford SHC county final victory over Mount Sion on September 7. 

Ballygunner made a strong start, surging into a 0-3 lead thanks to early scores from Dessie Hutchinson, Harry Ruddle and Mark Hartley. Na Piarsaigh struggled to gain a foothold in attack and it took them ten minutes to get on the scoreboard, with Peter Casey supplying their first point.

The Waterford champions began to find pockets of space in the middle third, and Ruddle added his second point of the evening. However, Casey responded with a long-range effort to leave it 0-4 to 0-2 after 13 minutes.

Kevin Downes converted a 65 as Na Piarsaigh started to settle into the game, reducing the deficit to a single point. But on 19 minutes, Waterford senior hurler Patrick Fitzgerald pushed Ballygunner’s advantage back out to two.

Shane O'Neill’s side regrouped and drew level for the first time when Adrian Breen and Ronan Lynch both pointed in a three-minute spell.

Ballygunner then reasserted control before half-time, hitting three unanswered points through Hutchinson, Hartley and Mikey Mahony to take a 0-8 to 0-5 lead into the interval.

Patrick Fitzgerald and Mikey Mahony pushed Jason Ryan’s side into a strong position early in the second half. However, frees from Kevin Downes and Ronan Lynch narrowed the deficit to 0-10 to 0-7.

Fitzgerald restored some breathing room for the Waterford men in the 38th minute, but Na Piarsaigh responded superbly, knocking over the next three points through Tommy Grimes, Downes and Conor Boylan to leave just a point between the sides on 40 minutes. 

Hutchinson and Downes exchanged frees as the Déise side edged ahead 0-13 to 0-12. Downes then struck his sixth point of the evening to level matters for the third time in the half.

Na Piarsaigh defender Ronan Lynch then landed a long-range placed ball to give the Limerick champions the lead for the first time. But Ballygunner finished strongly, outscoring their opponents 0-5 to 0-1 in the final seven minutes of the second half. Scores from Harry Ruddle, Dessie Hutchinson, Peter Hogan, Conor Tobin and Patrick Fitzgerald secured a narrow three-point victory.

SCORERS: 

NA PIARSAIGH:  Kevin Downes (0-6, 0-4 frees and 0-1 65),Ronan Lynch (0-3, 0-3 frees), Peter Casey 0-3, Conor Boylan, Adrian Breen and Tommy Grimes 0-1 each

BALLYGUNNER: Dessie Hutchinson (0-5, 0-3 frees and 0-1 65), Patrick Fitzgerald (0-4, 0-1 65), Harry Ruddle 0-3, Mikey Mahony and Mark Hartley 0-2 each, Peter Hogan and Conor Tobin 0-1 each

NA PIARSAIGH: Shane Dowling; Jerome Boylan, Mike Casey, Vince Harrington; Emmet McEvoy, Ronan Lynch, Mike Foley; Tommy Grimes, JJ Carey; Will Henn, Peter Casey, Daithi Dempsey; Kevin Downes, Adrian Breen, Conor Boylan. 

SUBS: Keith Dempsey for Henn (40 minutes), James Finn for Foley (46 minutes), Eoin Brosnan for Grimes (54 minutes), Wayne Kearns for Carey (59 minutes). 

BALLYGUNNER: Stephen O’Keeffe; Aaron O’Neill, Ian Kenny, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony, Peter Hogan; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Mark Hartley.

SUBS: Cormac Power for Sheahan (49 minutes), Conor Tobin for Hartley (53 minutes). 

REFEREE: Niall Malone (Clare)