Mahony masterclass as Ballygunner complete deadly dozen in Waterford
Tomás McCarthy reports from Walsh Park
BALLYGUNNER GAVE MOUNT Sion a 22-point shellacking in a one-sided Waterford SHC final to complete 12 in a row this afternoon.
Man of the Match Pauric Mahony shot 11 points while Dessie Hutchinson (1-6) and Patrick Fitzgerald (1-3) also starred for Jason Ryan’s charges.
The Gunners have won those 12 finals by a staggering total of 160 points.
It’s now 66 matches unbeaten in the Déise, a run that dates back to 23 June, 2015 when De La Salle inflicted their last loss. 3,729 days without defeat.
It was a game over long before half time as goals from Hutchinson and Fitzgerald left them 17 points up by the break.
Captain PJ Fanning was Sion’s leading performer with three points from midfield. Austin Gleeson sent over sidelines from opposite sides of the ground but his sweeper role played into Ballygunner’s hands as Philip Mahony sat back in front of the full back line.
Pauric Mahony made his first start of the 2025 championship for the Gunners following his game changing cameo role in the semi-final win over De La Salle. Luke O’Brien took the field for Mount Sion after successfully appealing his straight red card against Roanmore during the week.
Sion skipper Fanning sent the ball between the posts straight off the throw-in but the champions conjured up the perfect response. Pauric Mahony drilled the ball into Patrick Fitzgerald and he bore down on goal. Ian O’Regan bravely blocked his shot but Dessie Hutchinson was there quick as a flash to finish the rebound — his 28th goal in club colours with only 40 seconds on the clock.
O’Regan needed treatment before Gleeson swept over a sideline ball in the fifth minute. Kevin Mahony then limped off for the Gunners with a hamstring injury. His brother Pauric converted a free from midfield. Gleeson then scored another sideline cut, this time from the opposite side of the field!
The next 10 points belonged to Ballygunner. Six of those were credited to Pauric Mahony with Conor Sheahan, Harry Ruddle, Peter Hogan also on target. Martin O’Neill knocked over a Mount Sion free, their first score in twelve minutes.
Patrick Fitzgerald was a man on a mission however, after being dismissed in the semi-final. On 22 minutes, he latched onto another long ball from Pauric Mahony and placed the ball into the bottom corner past the wrong footed O’Regan (2-11 to 0-4). The life went out of the contest and the life went out of the crowd after that.
The Gunners raised eight more white flags before the short whistle including two each from Hogan and Fitzgerald. Corner back Aaron O’Neill got in on the act with a superb solo point as Jason Ryan’s men went in 2-19 to 0-8 ahead at the interval.
The leaders never took their foot off the pedal. Ronan Power and Hutchinson split the posts within a minute of the restart. Hutchinson helped himself to six second half points. Subs Eoin Cuddihy and Conor Tobin tapped over two each.
Pauric Mahony received a warm round of applause when he was replaced with 13 minutes left. He has now scored 5-125 in sixteen county final appearances.
Mount Sion sub Jack Meaney knocked in a consolation goal four minutes from the end when a Gleeson free was blocked on the line.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-11 (7fs), Dessie Hutchinson 1-6, Patrick Fitzgerald 1-3, Conor Sheahan, Peter Hogan, Eoin Cuddihy 0-3 each, Ronan Power, Eoin Cuddihy, Conor Tobin 0-2 each, Aaron O’Neill, Harry Ruddle 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mount Sion: Martin O’Neill 0-4 (4fs), Jack Meaney 1-0, Austin Gleeson (2 sidelines), PJ Fanning 0-3 each, Jamie Gleeson, Stephen Roche 0-2 each, Alan Kirwan, John Kennedy 0-1 each.
Ballygunner1. Stephen O’Keeffe
2. Aaron O’Neill, 3. Ian Kenny, 4. Tadhg Foley
5. Harry Ruddle, 6. Philip Mahony, 7. Ronan Power
8. Conor Sheahan, 9. Paddy Leavey
11. Mikey Mahony, 15. Pauric Mahony, 12. Peter Hogan
13. Patrick Fitzgerald, 10. Dessie Hutchinson, 14. Kevin Mahony
Subs
- 18. Eoin Cuddihy for Kevin Mahony (6)
- 24. Conor Tobin for Pauric Mahony (47)
- 17. Eoin O’Brien for Kenny (51)
- 22. Cormac Power for Hogan (53)
- 23. Jake Foley for Fitzgerald (54)
- 20. Billy O’Keeffe for Mikey Mahony (Blood, 54-59)
1. Ian O’Regan
2. Stephen O’Neill, 14. Mikey Daykin, 4. Ben Flanagan
5. Martin F O’Neill, 3. Luke O’Brien, 7. Gavin Power
6. Austin Gleeson, 9. PJ Fanning
13. Adam Regan, 11. Stephen Roche, 8. Jamie Gleeson
27. Jamie Meaney, 18. John Kennedy, 10. Martin O’Neill
Subs
- 12. Evan Curran for Flanagan (24)
- 15. Alan Kirwan for Martin F O’Neill (HT)
- 28. Tadgh Corcoran for Gavin Power (42)
- 21. Jack Meaney for Jamie Meaney (47)
- 17. Donal Power for Regan (53)
Referee: Alan Kissane.
The 42
