Defending champions Ballygunner are through to the quarter finals of the county senior hurling championship after a comprehensive 3-27 to 0-20 victory against De La Salle in Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon.

Eoin Cuddihy struck 1-7 for Jason Ryan’s men while Dessie Hutchinson and Kevin Mahony also rattled the net. The men in red and black are now 62 games unbeaten in Waterford. They have won their four group matches by a total of 80 points.

Two goals in three minutes from Cuddihy and Hutchinson gave the team chasing twelve in a row a 2-12 to 0-9 half time advantage. Cuddihy found the top corner on the quarter hour after a pinpoint pass from Hutchinson. Two minutes later, Hutchinson sent Shaun O’Brien the wrong way from close range.

Four minutes before the break, Reuben Halloran soloed through the Gunners defence and offloaded to Jack Twomey. Stephen O’Keeffe sprinted out from goal and threw his body in the way of the ball. The 2017 All Star denied Reuben Halloran at the start of the second half.

In a lively curtain raiser, Passage came back from five points down to defeat Dungarvan 3-16 to 1-19.

Eoghan Reilly, Ciarán O’Neill and Jason Roche all raised green flags for the 2013 champions as they picked up their second win of the campaign. Sean Kelly sent over four second half points while goalkeeper Eddy Lynch made a late save from Jack Lacey. Patrick Curran scored twelve points for Dungarvan who went down to their third defeat.