2021 Waterford Senior Hurling Championship Final – Ballygunner 2-27 Roanmore 0-13

Ballygunner defeated Roanmore by 2-27 to 0-13 in the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship Final on Sunday October 3rd at Walsh Park Waterford.

Dessie Hutchinson hits 1-9 as ‘evolving’ Ballygunner seal eighth county title in a row

MICHAEL MOYNIHAN, WALSH PARK
BALLYGUNNER 2-27 ROANMORE 0-13

Eight in a row for Ballygunner with this runaway victory in the JJ Kavanagh Waterford SHC final, the men in black and red delivering an emphatic performance in front of an attendance of 2,412 in Walsh Park.

Opponents Roanmore were appearing in their first county final in 31 years, and the gulf in experience was quickly apparent. The underdogs were backed by a strong breeze in the first half but were blitzed in the opening quarter by Ballygunner’s best performance since they went on their lengthy winning sequence.

That was the opinion of ‘Gunners manager Darragh O’Sullivan: speaking afterwards, he credited the blistering first 10 minutes with providing his side’s platform for victory.

“The first quarter we had there, the performance, that was probably the best quarter we played in the last eight years, that’s the reality of what happened there.

“They were phenomenal, playing against a strong wind but 11 points up. That’s what we were looking for, a reaction from the lads.

“Roanmore maybe didn’t have the experience to deal with that first quarter, and we had, and that possibly was the difference, but I’m sick of saying it — these lads are a phenomenal bunch of people. They continue to drive on and drive on.”

In the third minute, Tadhg Foley came through the centre and parted to Dessie Hutchinson, who found the net.

By the 10th minute Ballygunner led 1-6 to Roanmore’s one point, with the experienced Pauric Mahony picking off the scores while Hutchinson proved unstoppable in a man-of-the-match performance.

Named at wing-forward but operating as a full-forward, Hutchinson’s speed and movement tormented Roanmore, and his fourth point came just before the first water break, when Ballygunner led 1-9 to 0-2.

The champions tacked on two more points before Gavin O’Brien hit Roanmore’s third point on 25 minutes. He added three more frees before Sean Burke had the city side’s first from play, but Pauric Mahony had the last score of the half for Ballygunner — 1-12 to 0-7 at the break.

Ballygunner resumed play with the wind — and a Hutchinson point, though Pauric Mahony came close to a goal just beforehand.

Roanmore were better — Billy Nolan was involved in the play, and Gavin O’Brien got on more ball — but Ballygunner were able to keep them at bay thanks to Mahony’s frees.

It was 1-18 to 0-10 at the second water break — Roanmore were unable to close that gap, and Ballygunner had the luxury of emptying their bench late on. One of those subs, Cormac Power, crashed home a late, late goal to underline their superiority.

That regeneration of the team has been key to Ballygunner’s success, said Darragh O’Sullivan: “There were five lads there who didn’t play in the Munster final three years ago, so a third of the team has evolved because of injuries and retirements and young lads coming through. That’s what we’ve got to keep doing, keep evolving, keep adding youth to the set-up.

“I’m just thrilled for them because I know how hard they work. That’s what it comes down to.”

The Waterford champions now face a familiar question: can they do it in the Munster club championship?

“It will absolutely turn to Munster, that’s the reality of it,” said O’Sullivan.

“We’ll regroup and in two weeks’ time we’ll go back at it. There was no focus on Munster until now, or 10 days’ time, and then we’ll have a look at it and have a cut off it.

“We’ve been very close a couple of times, we’ve won a couple — the day against Borris-Ileigh (in 2019) they beat us and they deserved to beat us, but we’ll go again. We’ll try to get the injured lads back and see where that brings us.”

Scorers for Ballygunner: D. Hutchinson (1-9); P. Mahony (0-9, 6 frees); Cormac Power (1-0); J. Foley, M. Mahony, P. Hogan (0-2 each); K. Mahony, H. Ruddle, Conor Power (0-1 each).

Scorers for Roanmore: G O’Brien (0-7, 6 frees, 1 65); L. Hearne (0-2); C. Chester, S. Burke, Brian Nolan, Billy Nolan (0-1).

BALLYGUNNER: S O’Keeffe; I Kenny, B Coughlan (c), T. Foley; B O’Keeffe, S O’Sullivan, R Power; C Sheahan, P Leavey; D Hutchinson, M Mahony, P Hogan; H Ruddle, K Mahony, P Mahony.
Subs: B. O’Sullivan for Ruddle (50); J. Foley for Sheahan (52); Cormac Power and Conor Power for Pauric Mahony and Hutchinson (both 56); B. Power for O’Keeffe (58).

ROANMORE: J Chester; C Ryan, R Furlong, Charlie Chester; F McGrath, Billy Nolan, D. Hayes; E Madigan, Chris Chester; Brian Nolan, G O’Brien (c), E. Flynn; E O’Toole, S Mackey, C Wadding.
Subs: S. Burke for Flynn (blood, 4-9); S. Burke for Flynn (25); L. Hearne for Madigan (43); H. White for Brian Nolan (54).

Referee: T Walsh (Modeligo).

Ticket Information

The big one! The @JJKavanaghBuses Co. Senior Hurling Final!

Sunday 3rd October at 2pm in Walsh Park!@ballygunnerHc v @roanmoreclg

Tickets are on sale now online! Link below.#Gunners v #SkyBlues https://t.co/HffetSRsDu pic.twitter.com/uQwx7zLCIS

— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) September 28, 2021