Ballygunner progress but no plain sailing against dogged Doon

Just two points split the sides in the penultimate minute of normal time before Ballygunner ran out five-points to once more make light of the yawning gap between their conquest of Waterford and commencement of a Munster campaign.

In the three previous seasons, they had bridged extended breaks from county finals with 17-point wins over Ballyea and Kilruane MacDonaghs and Sarsfields. The best expected of Doon here was competitiveness so soon after climbing the summit in Limerick for the first time. They surpassed those considerations, only running out of steam with the finishing line in sight.

Ahead of facing Loughmore-Castleiney in Walsh Park in the middle of the month, there will be theories that surely such a decline in a provincial quarter-final winning scoreline points to Ballygunner’s might in Munster being on the wane.

To do so would be a slight against Doon who barked at and brawled with Ballygunner for so much of this tussle. Only for Stephen O’Keeffe coming to the aid of The Gunners twice in the second half, his first save from Jack Ryan preventing Doon from going seven points up, might this have been the second week of club hurling upsets.

Ultimately, inside forwards Dessie Hutchinson (five) and Patrick Fitzgerald (three) escaped from Doon cover that was snare-like in the first half to score eight points between them in the second half.

Pauric Mahony hit double-digits once more and manager Darragh O’Sullivan admitted he was one relieved man. 

“Going in at half time to four points down. If they get that goal on Socky (O’Keeffe), they're going seven up. Phenomenal save in fairness. Brilliant save, he kind of read it but he somehow has that in top drawer. That's what he does for us. He's such a huge influential part of this group.

“But listen, we're delighted. We knew coming up here was a serious, serious battle. That's the nature of it. But look, we got there. First half wasn't great, second half was excellent.

“We are coming in from nine weeks off. And although we have the same system and we would have landed a bit better than we did this year, they had a lot of energy coming into it too.

“They won Limerick last week, first time ever. It was savage for them to come in and they had a huge momentum coming from that. Maybe in the end, they were a bit tired, but we came strong in the end.” 

To start the third quarter four points down, quickly go five behind and conclude it two points ahead was a crucial period for Ballygunner. O’Keeffe’s outrageous stop in the 34th minute was a sublime piece of skill and drew gasps from the 2,600-plus crowd in TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Pauric Mahony’s marksmanship from frees brought Ballygunner to within a point and joint-captain Conor Sheahan tied up the game in the 39th minute. Two further scores came from Mikey and Pauric (free) and the game was swung in their favour.

Pat Ryan followed up an Adam English free to square affairs once more but Ballygunner strung together another three points, Hutchinson providing two of them. With his fourth point, Chris Thomas narrowed the gap and Jack Ryan brought it to a point with another. Yet Ballygunner hit another purple patch with three unanswered points.

Doon weren’t done and were back within a couple of points after O’Keeffe kept out Pat Ryan’s bouncing effort in the 56th minute. Barry Coughlan blocked a Gareth Thomas follow-up.

Four of the last five points were scored by Ballygunner, though, Hutchinson showing his class with two of them as Doon's valiance dwindled.

Ballygunner had led by 0-4 to 0-2 midway through the first half but it was difficult going for them. Late addition Cormac Ryan was playing a vital role as sweeper for Doon. Ballygunner did try and lay down the terms physically. Barry Murphy had to be treated off the field for a late hit early on.

Eddie Stokes struck a tame shot that O’Keeffe easily negotiated in the 11th minute and Fitzgerald struck back with a point seconds later before Adam English and Mahony exchanged frees.

The half began to turn between the 16th and 18th minutes when Doon struck three points in a row. Darragh O’Donovan picked up an eighth-minute yellow card but the caution hardly deterred him as he and the Englishs put themselves about. Chris Thomas sent over a point either side of a Pat Ryan beauty, the second one putting Doon ahead for the first time.

Ballygunner did return the same fire, Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony scoring their first points from play, but Doon were keeping the heat on Ballygunner men in possession. After O’Keeffe prevented a Pat Ryan point attempt from passing the crossbar, Doon nailed the next four points. Cian O’Donovan scampered forward for a score and Adam English produced the next three points, the second of them from play having pilfered a puck-out seemingly destined for Peter Hogan.

A Pauric Mahony free to bring Ballygunner to within a point momentarily cooled Doon’s jets. Stokes made up for his poor strike earlier with a point prior to Darragh O’Donovan landing an exemplary point from close to the open stand sideline.

The lightning rod that was O’Donovan then turned over Tadhg Foley and forced a free that English obliged with to give the challengers a merited 0-12 to 0-8 advantage at half-time.

The champions had been checked but their arrest was transitory.

Scorers for Doon: A. English (0-10, 8 frees, 1 65); C. Thomas (0-4); P. Ryan (0-2); C. O’Donovan, E. Stokes, D. O’Donovan, J. Ryan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony (0-11, 9 frees); D. Hutchinson (0-6); P. Fitzgerald (0-4); C. Sheahan, M. Mahony (0-2 each).

DOON: T. Lynch; E. Fitzgibbon, T. Hayes, C. O’Donovan; C. Ryan; C. Thomas, B. Murphy, R. English; D. O’Donovan (c), A. English; P. Ryan; E. Stokes, J. Ryan; K. Maher, D. Stapleton.

Subs: M. O’Brien for B. Murphy (temp 4-7); G. Thomas for D. Stapleton, M. O’Brien for K. Maher (both 44); P. Cummins for R. English (53).

BALLYGUNNER: S. O’Keeffe; T. Foley, B. Coughlan, I. Kenny; H. Ruddle, R. Power, Philip Mahony; C. Sheahan (j-c), P. Leavey; P. Hogan, Pauric Mahony (j-c), M. Mahony; D. Hutchinson, K. Mahony, P. Fitzgerald.

Subs: C. Power for K. Mahony (55); S. O’Sullivan for M. Mahony (60+3).

Referee: M. Kennedy (Tipperary).