Austin Gleeson scored a wonder goal as Mount Sion defeated Abbeyside 2-26 to 0-15 at a sun drenched Fraher Field on Sunday afternoon.
With ten minutes left, the 2016 Hurler of the Year knocked two defenders out of his way, took off down the sideline and lashed the ball to the far corner of the net.
"He's a phenomenal player," Sion selector Jim Greene told WLR Sport. "You saw him today, he gave an exhibition at times. We're so glad he's ours."
The captain finished with 1-9 while younger brother Jamie also found the net. Owen Whelan hit five points from play in the first half.
Abbeyside started without county pair Conor Prunty and Neil Montgomery due to injury. Debutant Seanie Callaghan struck two points for the Villagers before he went off on 22 minutes. They also lost Mark Ferncombe to injury in the second half.
The Monastery men led 0-17 to 0-8 at the break. Eight different players scored for John Meaney's charges. Whelan led the way with five from centre forward, Austin Gleeson got three while Martin F O'Neill and Stephen Roche added two each. Ian O'Regan made a brilliant save to deny Seanie Callaghan a goal.
20 seconds into the second half, Jamie Gleeson rippled the top corner of the Abbeyside net. On 42 minutes, Michael Kiely hit a penalty left and wide after Tom Looby was fouled. Gleeson landed three points in a row before that memorable goal into the country end of Fraher Field.
Scorers for Mount Sion: A Gleeson 1-9 (4f), J Gleeson 1-2, O Whelan 0-5, Martin F O'Neill, Martin O'Neill, E Curran, S Roche 0-2 each, S O'Neill, B Flanagan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Abbeyside: M Kiely 0-3 (1f), M O'Halloran, M Ferncombe (1f, 1 65), S Callaghan, S Whelan Barrett 0-2 each, C Treen (1f), J McGrath, P Hurney, T Looby 0-1 each.
Mount Sion: I O'Regan; M Daykin, L O'Brien, PJ Fanning; Martin F O'Neill, S O'Neill, B Flanagan; S Roche, E Curran; A Gleeson, O Whelan, A Kirwan; J Kennedy, Martin O'Neill, J Gleeson.
Subs: P Penkert for S O'Neill (52), J Meaney for Kennedy (52), E McGrath for Austin Gleeson (59).
Abbeyside: A Beresford; C Foley, B Looby, D McGrath; J Beresford, S Ahern, D Slevin; S Whelan Barrett, C Treen; W Beresford, M Ferncombe, T Looby; S Callaghan, M Kiely, M O'Halloran.
Subs: P Hurney for Callaghan (22), C Kent for Ahern (31), J Elsted for J Beresford (HT), J McGrath for Ferncombe (35).
Referee: A Fitzgerald
