Kilmallock outgunned in Waterford as Munster SHC dream ends
The Waterford men scored the last eight points of the game
GAA Coverage in association with Lyons of Limerick Ford
DISAPPOINTMENT for Kilmallock who suffered a 1-20 to 1-11 Munster club SHC defeat to defending All-Ireland champions Ballygunner on Sunday at Walsh Park.
A strong finish from the Waterford men saw them outpace the Limerick champions as they scored the last eight points of this contest.
Kilmallock were playing their first Munster club game since losing to the same opponents in the provincial final in January 2022. However, they were up to speed with the pace required at this level for large parts and showed no fear of the defending Munster and All-Ireland champions.
One of the Balbec young guns Pierce Connery showed no early nerves striking two frees in the first three minutes.
Connery got his side’s first from play in the seventh minutes edging the Limerick champions ahead after Harry Ruddle and Pauric Mahony pointed at the other end.
But the Deise side hit the game’s first real blow. After an extraordinary save from Conor Hanley Clarke, Dessie Hutchinson was on hand to tap in the rebound - putting his body on the line in the process.
It was a bad-tempered opening quarter with lots of breaks in play being greeted with pushing and shoving from both sets of players.
A Connery free broke a period of six minutes without a score from either side to reduce the deficit down to just one, in front of a vocal attendance of 3,007 in the south-east.
After returning from time off as a blood sub, Hutchinson struck a fine point to double his sides’ lead, the Waterford men suffering no immediate ill effects from going 12 minutes without a score.
In a tense game played in wet conditions, Shane O’Brien got on the board five minutes before the break - however, just seconds later Hutchinson replied in kind.
The slow, short-passing game from the Waterford men often caused frustration from both sets of supporters. When they did get the ball up the field, points from Patrick Fitzgerald and Pauric Mahony gave the defending Munster and All-Ireland champions a four-point, 1-7 to 0-6, half-time lead.
It was a first period where Kilmallock only had two scorers - but they were well in contention.
Peter Hogan got the first score of the second half however, as the home side bidded to push on from their comfortable lead in what was a low scoring affair.
Michael Mahony put them six clear with a smart strike as the Gunners were now finding more time and space in possession.
Conor Hanley Clarke got the Balbec’s first score of the second period from a long-range free as James Hickey’s side started playing some better hurling.
Connery added another free but goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe replied immediately after taking back a short puck out, soloing 50 yards and scoring a wonderful point.
But this did not deflate Kilmallock. Oisin O’Reilly got the next score to reduce the deficit to five with over 15 minutes to play.
O’Reilly was a thorn in the Ballygunner side as he produced the next big moment, getting to the end of a Shane O’Brien move and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
Another from O’Reilly and a Connery free reduced the gap to one with 49 minutes on the clock.
A scarcely believable double-save from Hanley Clarke kept Kilmallock in the game in a tense concluding stages.
But Ballygunner finished the stronger of the two sides to see out the win - and another Munster final appearance.
SCORERS - BALLYGUNNER: Dessie Hutchinson 1-4; Pauric Mahony 0-7 (5f); Michael Mahony 0-3; Peter Hogan 0-2; Harry Ruddle, Patrick Fitzgerald, Mark Hartley and Stephen O’Keeffe 0-1 each.
KILMALLOCK: Pierce Connery 0-7 (6f); Oisin O’Reilly 1-2; Shane O’Brien and Conor Hanley Clarke (1f) 0-1 each.
BALLYGUNNER: Stephen O’Keeffe; Aaron O’Neill, Ian Kenny, Tadhg Foley; Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheehan, Paddy Leavey; Dessie Hutchinson, Pauric Mahony, Peter Hogan; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Michael Mahony.
Subs: Mark Hartley for Hutchinson (temp, 10-16 mins); Mark Hartley for Sheehan (53 mins); Eoin Cuddihy for Pauric Mahony (60 mins); Cormac Power for R Power (60 mins) Eoin O’Brien for O’Neill (60 mins).
KILMALLOCK: Conor Hanley Clarke; Aaron Costello, Robbie Egan, Jackie Dwane; Mark O’Loughlin, Ciaran O’Connor, Killian Hayes; Micheal Houlihan, Stephen Quirke; Robbie Hanley, Shane O’Brien, Graeme Mulcahy; Pierce Connery, Phelim O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly.
Subs: Gearoid Enright for M O’Loughlin (40 mins); Paudie O’Brien for Quirke (53 mins); Kevin O’Donnell for Hanley (56 mins); Conor Staunton for Hayes (60 mins)
Referee: Niall Malone (Clare).