Austin Gleeson Admits He Had Point To Prove After Miracle Work In Waterford Championship

Mount Sion are through to the Waterford senior hurling final after some monumental late heroics from a breathless Austin Gleeson against Roanmore.

Both sides came into Sunday's semi-final off the back of extra-time wins in last weekend's quarter-finals, and there was more drama in store at Walsh Park.

With the clock ticking into injury-time, it looked like it would be semi-final heartbreak for a second year running for Mount Sion, with Roanmore a point ahead in the 62nd minute.

It was then that Waterford hero Gleeson popped up with an extraordinary pair of plays.

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Both sides were down to 14 men with just 90 seconds of injury time remaining in Waterford on Sunday afternoon.

A long puckout from the Mount Sion goalkeeper was aimed towards Austin Gleeson, who had moved up from his centre-back position to the forwards as his side chased the game.

What followed was one of the best catches you're likely to see, followed by a sublime finish from away out on the touchline, struck while Gleeson began to lose his balance.

Not a bad score from Austin Gleeson for Mount Sion at the death of their Waterford Championship close with Roanmore 🤯

He would go on to set up the winning score a minute later!pic.twitter.com/AJ7W7GfHiE

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) August 31, 2025

The 30-year-old was not done there.

In the final minute of injury time, Gleeson delivered a catch that was almost better than his first, before nudging the ball to Adam O'Reagan to complete a remarkable comeback.

60+3 nóim @roanmoreclg 0-17 (17)@MountSionGAA 1-15 (18)

Adam O'Reagan leis an bpointe ciniúnach- a leithéid de chríoch a bhí againn! 😯

Austin Gleeson plucks it out of the air to set up O'Reagan, what a win for Mount Sion!

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺

#GAABEO pic.twitter.com/7LbyC4SvXc

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 31, 2025

Austin Gleeson has always been a player with a penchant for the spectacular, and that was on full show on Sunday.

Mount Sion will have spent the past 12 months reeling after their 10-point loss to Abbeyside at this stage last year, and Gleeson admitted to TG4 that embarrassment had been playing on his mind.

‘I can't believe we just got out of it' @MountSionGAA

Labhair Aoife O'Connor le hAustin Gleeson tar éis an bua iontach sin.

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺

#GAABEO pic.twitter.com/sKNvXa7Zb3

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 31, 2025

An astonishingly out-of-breath Gleeson was almost lost for words as he spoke to TG4 post-match.

He admitted he had come into the game with a point to prove, not only from last year's defeat to Abbeyside but from his frustrations with his own form this year.

Oh god!

It was our aim to get back here and go again and reach a county final.

Look, Roanmore and us have a massive rivalry. You can see that. The crowd

Ah Jesus, I can't believe we just got out of it. I'm just over the moon.

Being honest with it, I was extremely disappointed with my performance last week. I just wanted to prove, being honest to myself, that I still have it. I'm giving everything for that club and I'm gonna keep giving everything and that will go to next week as well.

It has been some time since we saw Austin Gleeson in a Waterford jersey. Judging by Sunday's heroics, he has not lost any of the magic touch that made him such a fan favourite when he burst onto the scene.

Mount Sion now have a Waterford final clash with Ballygunner in a fortnight to prepare for, after they saw off De La Salle in Sunday's other semi-final. It's certainly a daunting task, with Ballygunner going for a remarkable 12-in-a-row of county titles.

However, if Austin Gleeson is in the kind of form he displayed in Sunday's man-of-the-match display, Mount Sion will have plenty of reason to believe they can pull off an upset.