2021 Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final
Ballygunner 2-11
Loughmore-Castleiney 0-12
Ballygunner are through to face Kilmallock in the Munster Final after battling through a drama-packed thriller in Fraher Field to leave behind Loughmore-Castleiney.
Referee Johnny Murphy was in the thick of the action, as he issued red cards to both Noel and John McGrath as the Tipp men finished with thirteen.
Goals from brothers Kevin and Mikey Mahony proved instrumental, while Dessie Hutchinson pitched in with 0-5 from play in a manic Munster mudbath.
The Gunners led by two at the interval, but despite their early dominance - it was their goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe they had to thank for that comfort.
Having been held scoreless in the quarter-final, it took Dessie Hutchinson just 28 seconds to get off the mark after he was found in space by Pauric Mahony.
However, the first green flag of the day looked to be inevitable when Noel McGrath sprayed the sliotar to his namesake John. He unleashed a rasping drive toward the near top corner but O'Keeffe sprawled like a cat to deny him.
McGrath atoned for that with Loughmore's first score, the first of seven for the Tipperary star during the first period, before Pauric Mahony opened his account from the dead ball to restore the Gunners' early advantage.
The game's opening goal arrived on seven minutes courtesy of some superb teamwork from the Waterford champions. Dessie Hutchinson flicked the sliotar along the wet turf into the path of the onrushing Paddy Leavy, and he unselfishly picked out the unmarked Kevin Mahony to hammer home past a stranded Aidan McGrath.
The Gunners began to purr at this point and Hutchinson was at the heart of all things positive, pointing after a great pick-out from his uncle Shane O'Sullivan, before again splitting the posts when found in acres to give the Deise men a five point cushion.
That cushion looked to be once again under serious threat, but the heroics of O'Keeffe again drew gasps from those present at Fraher Field.
With 14 minutes gone, Evan Sweeney flicked the ball on to John McGrath but again O'Keeffe was on hand to block at lightspeed.
The Gunners led 1-5 to 0-1 at our opening water break, but the game was turned on its' head in the second quarter, largely thanks to a controversial red card issued by the referee Johnny Murphy, which strangely seemed to galvanise the recipients.
John McGrath was imperious from the dead ball throughout, and slotted over two in succession early on, before Peter Hogan responded with a superb effort from the far sideline after Darragh O'Sullivan's side had recycled the sliotar well.
It took 21 minutes for Loughmore-Castleiney to register a point from play and it was a simple task for their midfielder Ciaran Connolly when granted the freedom of Fraher Field to do so.
Then came the turning point, as Noel McGrath was given his marching orders for striking Paddy Leavy off the ball - a decision which in truth looked incredibly harsh, and buoyed by their injustice, Loughmore began to take a hold upon proceedings.
Peter Hogan grabbed his second score with a wonder-point on the spin, but three points on the bounce in response had Frankie McGrath's side in the ascendancy.
Connolly grabbed an inspirational score either side of two John McGrath efforts, before Kevin Mahony settled the men in black and red with a fine strike while off balance.
Two superb frees from the stick of McGrath well out the field made it a 2-point game at half-time, and despite their numerical disadvantage - it would have been foolish to write off the men from the Premier County, even in their twentieth consecutive weekend in action.
The second period began as did the first with Hutchinson striking over a fine point when found in space, but that was responded to in turn with a brilliant strike over the shoulder from Ed Connolly. A remarkable run and score from Tommy Maher along the line made it a one-point affair with Ballygunner hearts undoubtedly in their mouths at this point.
Their nerves were settled temporarily when an outstanding delivery from Mikey Mahony landed in the lamh of Hutchinson and he turned the burners on to leave two in his wake, before being clattered in the box by John Ryan.
Having been the hero at the other end, up stepped Stephen O'Keeffe to show off his attacking abilities - but he struck the sliotar wide from the requisite penalty and it was squeaky bum time for the Gunners.
They would have had a four point lead had that rippled the net, but they settled for two as Billy O'Keeffe provided the nerve-settler.
Then came the moment of the match and a goal that will be remembered as a Munster club classic for many years to come.
Conor Sheahan won the ball and picked out Mikey Mahony who fired in to the feet of Hutchinson, he then twisted, turned and offloaded with a remarkable pass back into the path of Mahony who lashed the sliotar home from the tight angle. 2-10 to 0-11 - and advantage to Ballygunner.
The elements began to take hold as it became hard to distinguish who was who in the Dungarvan downpours, but credit to Ciaran Connolly, he led by example for Loughmore and slipped over his third point of the evening to reduce arrears to four.
The final quarter produced just one score but was almost the most dramatic of the entire lot. Drama came to a boiling point on 53 minutes when John McGrath was hauled down in the box and Murphy pointed to the spot for a penalty. However, in the huffing and puffing that followed, McGrath struck Barry Coughlan, and as he was already on a yellow card - the penalty decision was remarkably overturned and McGrath, like Noel before him, received his marching orders.
Fittingly, the game ended for what it will live in the memory for - some Dessie Hutchinson brilliance, twisting past two, and notching a fifth - sending the Gunners through to the provincial decider, their fifth in the last six years.
Ballygunner: Stephen O'Keeffe; Ian Kenny, Barry Coughlan, Tadhg Foley; Shane O'Sullivan, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavy; Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony, Peter Hogan; Billy O'Keeffe, Kevin Mahony, Pauric Mahony.
Subs: Barry O'Sullivan for Billy O'Keeffe (53); Harry Ruddle for Peter Hogan (60)
Scorers: Dessie Hutchinson (0-5); Kevin Mahony (1-1); Mikey Mahony (1-0); Pauric Mahony (0-2, 2f); Peter Hogan (0-2); Billy O'Keeffe (0-1)
Loughmore-Castleiney: Aidan McGrath; John Ryan, Joey Hennessy, Lorcan Egan; Tommy Maher, John Meagher, Brian McGrath; Ciaran Connolly, Tomas McGrath; Ciaran McGrath, Liam McGrath, Noel McGrath; Ed Connolly, Evan Sweeney, John McGrath.
Subs: Ciaran McCormack for Ciaran McGrath (42); Anthony Ryan for Ed Connolly (55); Ed Meagher for Tommy Maher (57)
Scorers: John McGrath (0-7, 7f); Ciaran Connolly (0-3); Ed Connolly and Tommy Maher (0-1 each)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
