Ballygunner 1-24

De La Salle 1-15

Pauric Mahony rifled over a dozen points as Ballygunner completed a remarkable six-in-a-row of Waterford SHC successes with victory over city rivals De La Salle at Walsh Park.

Darragh O'Sullivan's charges won the last quarter by 0-9 to 0-2 to maintain a 33-match unbeaten record in their own county. Dessie Hutchinson also chipped in with 1-3 from play for the Gunners who can start preparing for their first Munster club SHC defence against Clare champions Sixmilebridge in a few weeks' time.

With the wind behind them, Ballygunner eased into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead inside the first quarter. Hutchinson raised the game's first green flag after being set up by the marauding Michael Mahony.

Ballygunner players celebrate. ©INPHO/Ken Sutton.

An Eddie Meaney goal got De La Salle moving as he and Jake Dillon added points to reduce the deficit to three. But a pair of Mahony frees gave Ballygunner a 1-11 to 1-6 lead at the break.

De La Salle rallied in the third quarter with scores from Shane McNulty, Shane McCann and Meaney to narrow the gap to two, 1-13 to 1-15. But the champions showed all their experience by scoring the next eight points per Mahony, Paddy Leavy, Peter Hogan and Barry O'Sullivan to put the result beyond all doubt.

Ballygunner - S O'Keeffe; I Kenny, E Hayden, B O'Keeffe; S O'Sullivan, Philip Mahony, B Coughlan; C Sheahan (0-2), P Leavy (0-1); B O'Sullivan (0-1), Pauric Mahony (0-12, 6f), D Hutchinson (1-3); T O'Sullivan (0-1), P Hogan (0-3), M Mahony. Subs: C Power (0-1) for T O'Sullivan, W Hutchinson for C Sheahan, JJ Hutchinson for P Leavy, B Power for B O'Keeffe.

De La Salle - S O'Brien; R Duke, C Giles Doran, M Doherty; S McNulty (0-1'65), K Moran, T Moran; E Barrett, A Farrell (0-1); P Nevin, J Dillon (0-3), J Fagan (0-3); E Meaney (1-3), T Douglas (0-1), C McCann (0-3). Subs: S Ryan for P Nevin, D Twomey for A Farrell.

Referee - M O'Brien.

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