Brilliant Ballygiblin ease into All-Ireland junior final

Ballygiblin 4-20 Fullen Gaels (Lancashire) 0-12

Ballygiblin are bound for Croke Park in just under a fortnight after they cruised past Lancashire’s Fullen Gaels in Sunday’s All-Ireland Club JHC semi-final at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

Ronan Dwane’s side were far too strong for the British champions, with a 14-point half-time lead not flattering them. Backed by a large travelling support that vindicated the decision to switch the game from the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown, they hurled with clarity and confidence and will relish the opportunity to take the final step.

While a Robin Spencer free put the Manchester men in front inside the second minute, it was to be their only score of the first half. Ballygiblin, with Mark Keane able to play a sweeping role, soon found their scoring rhythm and took control.

They had moved 0-3 to 0-1 in front after free-taker Joseph O’Sullivan’s first score of the day and from the resultant puckout, Dillon Sheehan – in for the injured Darragh Flynn – won possession and fed Colin English. He drove at the Fullen defence before passing to Seán O’Sullivan and though Killeagh native Darren Cusack saved, English was following up to send the loose ball to the net.

A sideline cut from Joseph O’Sullivan sent them to the water break with a 1-4 to 0-1 advantage and their supremacy was solidified in the second quarter. Dominant at midfield though Joseph O’Sullivan and Ryan Donegan, the scores flowed – Michael Walsh with a lovely point from a brilliant Seán O’Sullivan pass, while the latter profited from Barry Coffey’s vision.

But for two good Cusack saves, denying Kieran Duggan and Seán O’Sullivan, the half-time lead would have been even greater than 1-12 to 0-1, but even at that stage there was no doubting the fact that Ballygiblin were Croke Park-bound.

It’s to their credit that they continued to push in the second half, though Fullen Gaels – captained from midfield by another Killeagh man, Kevin Fennelly – were keen to give a better account of themselves, too.

Spencer added to his tally of frees for them with David Burke also getting on the scoresheet, but Joseph O’Sullivan continued to land dead balls for Ballygiblin, with Donegan taking over without fuss after O’Sullivan’s departure while English added to his personal tally as part of an accomplished all-round display.

It was 1-17 to 0-4 at the second water stoppage, with Spencer and Burke on target to reduce the gap slightly when action resumed before Ballygiblin put an exclamation mark on proceedings with a trio of late goals.

Sub Aidan Donegan netted on 54 after another good Cusack save, stopping from English and then Seán O’Sullivan fired home another. At the death, English grabbed his second and the final whistle moments later brought joy for Ballygiblin.

Scorers for Ballygiblin: C English 2-3, J O’Sullivan 0-7 (0-5, 0-1 65), S O’Sullivan 1-1, R Donegan 0-4 (0-3f), A Donegan 1-0, D Barry, M Walsh 0-2 each, B Coffey 0-1.

Scorers for Fullen Gaels: R Spencer 0-6f, D Burke, K Hayes (0-2f), D Power (0-1f) 0-2 each.

BALLYGIBLIN: C Noonan; B O’Gorman, F Herlihy, J Mullins; B Coffey, M Keane, M Lewis; R Donegan, J O’Sullivan; M Walsh, C English, D Sheehan; K Duggan, S O’Sullivan, D Barry.

Subs: A Donegan for Barry, C O’Sullivan for J O’Sullivan (both 42), C O’Brien for O’Gorman (48), J Lewis for Walsh (52), J O’Donoghue for Coffey (56).

FULLEN GAELS: D Cusack; L Burns, R Walsh, F McKillop; S Wallace, G Jacob, C McDonnell; K Fennelly, D Power; J Cleere, E Kelly, P Duggan; S Power, R Spencer, D Burke.

Subs: H Lane for Duggan, K Hayes for S Power (both 46), R McKillop for Cleere, T Rush for F McKillop (both 51), E Doyle for Spencer (56).

Referee: C McDonald (Antrim).