Dec 02,2024
Sarsfields (Cork) 3-20 Ballygunner (Waterford) 2-19
Super-sub Shane O'Regan was the hero as Sarsfields completed a shock for the ages to dethrone three-in-a-row Munster champions Ballygunner and blow the All-Ireland race wide open.
O’Regan was introduced in the 45th minute and proceeded to blast 2-03 to send the Cork supporters into ecstasy.
They were never led but his goals in the 56th and 59th minutes were vital to ward off any Ballygunner comeback.
Despite losing the Cork final to divisional side Imokilly, Sars’ superb recovery crowns them the first Rebel provincial winners since Newtownshandrum in 2009.
The scoreline was a dramatic reversal of their 17-point hammering by Ballygunner in last year’s Munster quarter-final and Cork clubs' eight-year losing streak prior to this campaign.
They will take equal pride that the Billy O'Neill Cup, dedicated to the club’s founder, will travel home to Riverstown for the first time in its history, with Conor O’Sullivan lifting the trophy as captain.
The remarkable victory also wraps up a clean sweep of Munster club hurling titles for Cork following the junior and intermediate successes of Russell Rovers and O’Regan’s former club Watergrasshill.
Sars will now advance to face the Ulster champions in an All-Ireland semi-final.
They brought thunderous intensity right from the start and reeled off the first four points: from Luke Elliott, Daniel Kearney, Cathal McCarthy, and Daniel Hogan, the latter after a well-timed block by Cian Darcy.
Pauric Mahony got the Gunners on the board but a major blow arrived in the fifth minute when Elliott sent Jack O’Connor into the clear. He switched onto his left to wrongfoot the keeper for a 1-04 to 0-01 lead.
Ballygunner began to settle with four in a row as Dessie Hutchinson and Patrick Fitzgerald joined Mahony on the scoresheet.
O’Connor was leading the Sars charge from the front with a pair of stirring blocks, which led to points for Kearney and Daniel Hogan from a free.
Ballygunner showed their mettle with another quick response. Peter Hogan won the puckout break and sent a high ball in for new Waterford captain Hutchinson to grab and tap into the net.
A Fitzgerald point levelled at 1-07 apiece. By the juncture, the Waterford kingpins hadn’t missed a single shot.
But Sars came again with another charge. Elliott, Hogan, O’Connor, and Colm McCarthy completed their second four-point streak to reassert their lead.
Their 19 first-half turnovers to Ballygunner’s nine emphasised their superiority but a Mahony free made it a one-score game, 1-11 to 1-08, at half-time.
If Ballygunner were expected to chase down that deficit, Sars didn’t let them. The magnificent Kearney and Darcy cancelled out opposition points before a Hogan free and Kerry-native Bryan Murphy pushed them four ahead.
Fitzgerald led the Ballygunner resistance with three points to take his total to 0-05. He also sent a goal chance whistling wide which was called back for a tap-over free.
Substitute Cormac Power registered but the bigger bench impact belonged to Sars.
O’Regan came on and notched three points in five minutes. After Ballygunner brought it back to one, it got even better for O’Regan. He collected Kearney’s pass out in the corner and fought his way past two defenders to find the net.
Then, he was found again by Cathal McCarthy to do the exact same as Sars fans prepared to invade the pitch with a 3-18 to 1-17 lead.
The celebrations were briefly put on ice by a 64th-minute Mahony goal from a free followed by a Hutchinson point to narrow the gap to three.
Johnny Murphy allowed one more play but Sars held the sliotar and O’Connor sealed the victory.
Ballygunner: S O’Keeffe; T Foley, B Coughlan, I Kenny; H Ruddle, Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheahan (0-01), P Leavey (0-01); M Mahony, Pauric Mahony (1-08, 1-07f), P Hogan; K Mahony (0-01), D Hutchinson (1-02), P Fitzgerald (0-05).
Subs: C Power (0-01) for Hogan (45), S O’Sullivan for Power (54), C Tobin for M Mahony (58), A O’Neill for Foley (60), S Harney for Coughlan (60+1).
Sarsfields: B Graham; P Leopold, C O’Sullivan, E Murphy; B Murphy (0-01), C Roche, L Elliott (0-02); Colm McCarthy (0-01), Cathal McCarthy (0-01); D Kearney (0-04), D Hogan (0-05, 3f), C Darcy (0-01); J O’Connor (1-02), J Sweeney, A Myers.
Subs: S O’Regan (2-03) for Myers (45), K Murphy for Colm McCarthy (50), E O’Sullivan for Sweeney (59), C Leahy for Kearney (60+2).
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)
