Reigning All-Ireland champions Ballygunner opened up the defence of their Munster club SHC crown with a comfortable 17-point win over Kilruane McDonaghs at Walsh Park this afternoon.

The Tipperary champions did compete well for large periods of the contest, but ultimately the Gunners' class shone through in the end with two goals either side of the half-time whistle providing the platform for a 4-19 to 0-14 victory.

After points by Jerome Cahill and Eoin Hogan brought Kilruane within four, man-of-the-match Patrick Fitzgerald's injury-time major left the Waterford kingpins perched on a 1-11 to 0-7 interval lead.

On the resumption Ballygunner picked up where they had left off and extended their lead to eleven points, with Kevin Mahony netting their second goal while on his knees.

Kilruane responded to that setback by reeling off three unanswered points from Cian Darcy, Kian O'Kelly and Willie Cleary before Dessie Hutchinson slipped a pass in behind their defence for super-sub Harry Ruddle to rattle the net - 3-14 to 0-12.

Mahony's 52nd minute major proved the icing on the cake for Darragh O'Sullivan's side who are now set to meet Limerick's Na Piarsaigh in a mouthwatering semi-final on 20 November.

Tweet

Most Read Stories