Ballygunner 2-11
Mount Sion 0-8
Ballygunner are champions of Waterford for the ninth successive season.
The All-Ireland champions saw off Mount Sion in the Déise decider to equal the record of the monastery men and Erin’s Own in winning nine Waterford championships in a row.
Stephen O’Keeffe made two superb saves for the Gunners, as goals either side of half time from Pauric Mahony and Peter Hogan proved decisive at a rain soaked Walsh Park.
The first half saw just nine scores, but it wasn’t for a lack of presentable opportunity and drama in tandem.
Playing in the decider for the first time since 2014, Mount Sion would’ve been keen to lay down an early marker to their opponents - Luke O’Brien’s early shoulder on Kevin Mahony would have done more good than harm in that regard.
Pauric Mahony pointed the day’s first score on three minutes with a well-taken free from distance, the first of 1-2 in the first half for the former Waterford captain.
The unpleasant orange weather warning conditions made it difficult to play the free flowing hurling we had previously witnessed from both sides, as it became a slow burning affair early on with a number of efforts sailing wide.
Alan Kirwan and Ronan Power were getting to know one another early on, with Kirwan pulling off Power’s helmet at one point for a closer look.
From that incident, the Gunners worked the sliotar up the field and won a free which was taken quickly by Mahony to the unmarked Patrick Fitzgerald - his effort was destined for the net as it got past Iggy O’Regan, but luckily for him and the Sion, it clipped the hurley of PJ Fanning and stayed out.
Mount Sion were desperate for a score, Jamie Gleeson firing wide after a great pick-out from his elder brother Austin.
That profligacy was soon punished, as Mikey Mahony found Dessie Hutchinson in space and a trademark effort from the corner forward put the Gunners two to the good.
It was a frustrating first period for the monastery men, Evan Curran also firing wide having skipped past his opposite number nine Paddy Leavy - but their first real opportunity soon presented itself, and a golden one at that.
A stunning pass with his back to goal by Austin Gleeson set Owen Whelan away, who laid the ball off to the onrushing Jamie Gleeson, but he was stopped in his tracks by a high tackle from Barry Coughlan. A yellow card followed as referee Thomas Walsh awarded a penalty.
Up stepped Austin Gleeson against his former inter county teammate Stephen O’Keeffe - and it was the goalkeeper who had the last laugh, springing to make a superb stop with the sliotar seemingly destined for the top left corner.
Gleeson somewhat made amends when he did deliver his side’s first score of the day on 16 minutes, a superbly taken free from well within his own half.
If that did bring any joy to John Meaney’s men, it was short lived - as seconds later, they were picking the ball from the net.
O’Keeffe’s puckout went straight into the hand of Mikey Mahony who drove toward goal, offloading to the right to his brother Pauric who made no mistake at the near post.
It could soon have been two successive green flags as Tadhg Foley sent Conor Sheahan into acres but the midfielder opted to pass instead of trying his luck, while O’Keeffe’s heroics continued as he stopped a Martin O’Neill effort from creeping over his crossbar.
The evergreen Shane O’Sullivan then picked out Hutchinson to tap over his second score of the day, as Mount Sion still hadn’t troubled the scoreboard from play.
Stephen Roche was uncharacteristically quiet for Mount Sion, but he did win a free from Sheahan, which Austin Gleeson then tapped over.
They will have felt aggrieved not to be afforded another when Ian Kenny looked certain to have dragged down Jamie Gleeson but Thomas Walsh thought differently.
Two scores from Mikey Mahony and Pauric Mahony further added to Mount Sion’s woe, as a Gleeson free trickled harmlessly into O’Keeffe’s path soon after.
He tapped over his and Mount Sion’s third point soon after, but they went in trailing by five at the break, and alarmingly without having scored from play in the first period.
John Kennedy came on at half time for Mount Sion and was involved almost instantly as he was floored by Paddy Leavy, allowing Gleeson to knock over his fourth free of the afternoon.
The 2016 Hurler of the Year fired a sideline cut wide as the elements began to take a further grip on proceedings, and they should have been seven behind seconds later as Pauric Mahony sent Hutchinson away but he fired wide from a tight angle.
Again, Ballygunner had Stephen O’Keeffe to thank for another heroic save on 35 minutes. Martin ‘Fish’ O’Neill played in Alan Kirwan one on one, and when he sent his effort toward the bottom corner, the former All-Star was once again equal.
The resilience of the champions stood firm as Mahony’s third free put them five ahead two minutes after as the trademark sideline cuts weren’t landing for Gleeson. Kevin Mahony was bright throughout for the Gunners and his first point from the right flank further pushed the boat out, as the champions were winning the all important individual battles.
Evan Curran landed Mount Sion’s first score from play on 41 minutes, but they needed many more given they were five behind. Peter Hogan then added his name to the scorers with a well taken effort, as the game looked set to adopt a familiar pattern.
Mount Sion weren’t prepared to give up though, Austin Gleeson charging back as his Waterford teammate Hutchinson bore down on goal to dispossess him. It stoked a fire in the Sion as Alan Kirwan and Owen Whelan then combined for the latter to fire between the posts.
Whelan began to exert his influence, firing up the crowd as he won another free which led to Gleeson picking out Martin O’Neill. Suddenly, the gap was down to four with fifteen left to play.
Billy O’Keeffe was found in space to keep the Gunners ticking on, and the substitute sent a message to his manager with a second moments later as Ballygunner showed their mettle.
A stunning individual run and score from Austin Gleeson had Mount Sion holding out hope - but that was destroyed on 51 minutes.
Peter Hogan was picked out and ran in behind Stephen Roche and PJ Fanning down the right flank, sending a thunderous effort to the top left corner past a rooted Iggy O’Regan. It was then 2-10 to 0-8 and it looked as if the News & Star Cup was staying in familiar territory for another winter.
Mahony’s fourth free had Mount Sion suddenly trailing by nine, with the likes of Ian Kenny, Philip Mahony and Ronan Power winning everything that came in their direction - and every time anything did get past them, they were saved by man of the match O’Keeffe.
It finished Ballygunner 2-11 Mount Sion 0-8 - a 21st senior championship for the Gunners.
Ballygunner now march on to Munster having captured senior and intermediate honours at county level. Mount Sion’s wait for a 36th county crown will now go into a 17th year in 2023.
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; Patrick Fitzgerald, Kevin Mahony, Pauric Mahony.
Subs: Billy O’Keeffe for Patrick Fitzgerald (43); Tim O’Sullivan for Kevin Mahony (59); Jake Foley for Pauric Mahony (59); Darragh O’Keeffe for Conor Sheahan (60); Barry O’Sullivan for Ronan Power (60)
Scorers: Pauric Mahony (1-4; 0-4f); Peter Hogan (1-1); Billy O’Keeffe and Dessie Hutchinson (0-2 each); Mikey Mahony and Kevin Mahony (0-1 each)
Mount Sion: Ian O’Regan; Mikey Daykin, Luke O’Brien, PJ Fanning; Martin F O’Neill, Stephen O’Neill, Ben Flanagan; Stephen Roche, Evan Curran; Martin O’Neill, Owen Whelan, Alan Kirwan; Jack Meaney, Austin Gleeson, Jamie Gleeson
Subs: John Kennedy for Jack Meaney (HT); Dylan Butler for Jamie Gleeson (40); Peter Penkert for Evan Curran (53); Donal Power for Ben Flanagan (60)
Scorers: Austin Gleeson (0-5; 0-4f); Evan Curran, Owen Whelan and Martin O’Neill (0-1 each)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Modeligo)
For all the latest in sport in Waterford, click here.
