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AIB Munster Club SHC Final – Ballygunner 2-14 Na Piarsaigh 2-8
Ballygunner (Waterford) defeated Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) by 2-14 to 2-8 in the AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship Final on Sunday November 18th at Semple Stadium Thurles.
Match Highlights
Watch Full-Time highlights here as @ballygunnerHc beat Na Piarsaigh in the @MunsterGAA Club Hurling Final pic.twitter.com/s8hdj8dDEd
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 18, 2018
Ballygunner win first Munster hurling club title since 2001 https://t.co/34FRQeDzko pic.twitter.com/5RzdeooFHP
— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) November 18, 2018
Ballygunner win first Munster hurling club title since 2001
Report By Michael Moynihan for the Irish Examiner newspaper
Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) 2-14 Ballygunner (Waterford) 2-8
Ballygunner were crowned Munster hurling club champions in Semple Stadium, the Waterford side collecting a historic first title since 2001.
Na Piarsaigh defended the Town End and began with a terrific solo goal from Kevin Downes. Conor Power and Brian O’Sullivan hit points in return; Shane Dowling hit a free and it was 1-1 to 0-2 on five minutes.
Kevin Downes goal for Na Piarsaigh
Kevin Downes with an early goal for Na Piarsaigh pic.twitter.com/CmtwLXDPZ0
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 18, 2018
Dowling (two) and Alan Dempsey eased Na Piarsaigh further ahead before Barry O’Sullivan responded: 1-4 to 0-3 11 minutes in. Brian O’Sullivan got a sight of goal but Padraig Kennedy saved well at the expense of a point. Harley Barnes and Ronan Lynch swapped points before Adrian Breen pushed Na Piarsaigh four clear, 1-6 to 0-5.
A Pauric Mahony free was followed by Brian O’Sullivan winning a Ballygunner penalty on 27 minutes: the Waterford side’s keeper Stephen O’Keeffe came up and goaled to level the game. A late Mahony free left Ballygunner one up at the half, 1-7 to 1-6.
Stephen O’Keeffe penalty goal for Ballygunner
Stephen O'Keeffe scores a penalty for @ballygunnerHc just before Half-time pic.twitter.com/NhEIzedRjf
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 18, 2018
Mahony (free) and Barry O’Sullivan hit points on the resumption, then Brian O’Sullivan put the Gunners four clear and the initiative was clearly with the Waterford men.
Mahony added a long-range free before Dowling had Na Piarsaigh’s first real chance, a close-in free. He took a quick one to Kevin Downes, who netted, but referee Nathan Wall called play back. Dowling pointed when he retook the free but Mahony responded from play – 1-12 to 1-7 on 42 minutes.
The same man dropped a ball all the way to the net from a free in his own half and added a point from a free immediately afterwards, and it was all Ballygunner – 2-13 to 1-7 and just over ten minutes left. Na Piarsaigh required a complete Ballygunner collapse to have any chance and that was never likely. O’Keeffe’s fine save from a Dowling shot energised his teammates.
Dowling would find the net from a free on 53 minutes but Ballygunner held out for a deserved win.
Shane Dowling goal for Na Piarsaigh
Shane Dowling blasts a free to the net for a Na Piarsaigh goal pic.twitter.com/a5XbaopZ3w
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 18, 2018
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony (1-6, 1-5 frees); S. O’Keeffe (pen)(1-0), Brian O’Sullivan (0-3); Barry O’Sullivan (0-2); H. Barnes, C. Power, S. O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: S. Dowling (1-4, 1-3 frees); K. Downes (1-0); R. Lynch (0-2); A. Dempsey, A. Breen (0-1 each).
BALLYGUNNER: S. O’Keeffe (JC), E. Hayden, B. Coughlan, I. Kenny, W. Hutchinson, Philip Mahony, H. Barnes, B. O’Keeffe, S. O’Sullivan (JC), Barry O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony, P. Hogan, T. O’Sullivan, Brian O’Sullivan, C. Power.
Subs: M. Mahony for T. O’Sullivan (58); JJ Hutchinson for Power (60).
NA PIARSAIGH: P. Kennedy, J. Boylan, M. Casey, C. King, R. Lynch, W. O’Donoghue (c), T. Grimes, A. Dempsey, G. Brown, D. Dempsey, S. Dowling, C. Boylan, A. Breen, K. Downes, P. Casey.
Subs: M. Foley for O’Donoghue (blood, 31-3); M. Foley for Grimes (43); K. Ryan for Breen (50).
Referee: N. Wall (Cork)
MATCH REPORT: @ballygunnerHc of @WaterfordGAA are AIB Munster Club SHC champions for the second time in their history after a rousing victory over @NapGAA of @LimerickCLG.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 18, 2018
Ticket Information
Pre Purchase Adult: €15
Match Day Adult: €20
Juveniles: Free
Student/OAP rebate available on matchday and pre-purchase tickets at designated turnstiles.
This is an unreserved fixture. It is only the O’Riann Stand open on the day.
Tickets available via participating Centra and Supervalu outlets.
Match Programme
Pick up a copy of the 32 page souvenir match programme