Ballygiblin dream season continues with a big win over Colligan in Munster Junior A Hurling championship semi final

Ballygiblin 1-19 

Colligan 0-10 

FOR Ballygiblin, the fairy tale just continues. 

The Avondhu are still on track for back-to-back Munster Junior ‘A’ hurling titles after they easily overcame the challenge of Waterford champions, Colligan, in Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday afternoon. 

The Cork champions simply had too much class for their opponents as Joseph O’Sullivan hit 0-11 while Mark Keane sparkled at centre-back to send them in to the final where they will face the Limerick champions, St Kieran’s.

The reigning champions settled quickly and had three points on the board inside the opening seven minutes with O’Sullivan hitting a brace and Cathail O’Mahony also on target. 

Points from Gavin Whelan and Colin Dunford brough the Waterford men to within one, but then Ballygiblin struck for a key score. 

O’Mahony picked out Darragh Flynn with an astute pass and though Flynn was initially hooked, he subsequently gathered the ball before rifling it to the net.

O’Sullivan quickly added a point before Colligan enjoyed their best period of the half as they hit three in-a-row through brothers Dan and Joe Booth and John Wall to leave just two between them, 1-4 to 0-5, at the end of the opening quarter. 

Ballygiblin, however, were managing to find scores that bit more easily than their opponents with O’Mahony and O’Sullivan in particular a significant threat up front while Keane anchored the defence efficiently.

Subsequent points from O’Sullivan, O Mahony and Flynn then outnumbered a Wall free for Colligan to push the Avondhu side further clear. 

That Ballygiblin trio then combined for the score of the half as O’Sullivan found Flynn with an over the head pass and Flynn fed O’Mahony who tapped over his third point. 

The sides then shared the last four scores of the half evenly as Wall and Dan Booth had scores for Colligan while points from O’Sullivan and Ryan Donegan gave Ballygiblin a 1-10 to 0-8 half-time lead.

The Cork champions very nearly took total control straight from the restart as Seán O’Sullivan found himself through on goal, but Seánie McGrath saved brilliantly. 

O’Sullivan pointed the subsequent ’65 and that would be the theme for the third quarter as Ballygiblin went further and further ahead as the Waterford champions just had no answer.

O’Sullivan went on to hit the next four before Shane Beston hit his first of the afternoon to leave their side leading by 1-16 to 0-8 with twenty to play. 

A Wall free brought Colligan some respite but another O’Sullivan free and two beauties from Beston brought Ballygiblin’s total to 1-19 as the game went into the final quarter. 

They weren’t to score again and while that might be a source of concern for Ronan Dwane ahead of the final, it didn’t matter here as all Colligan could muster down the stretch was another point from Joe Booth.

The final quarter petered out to its inevitable conclusion. 

Colin Dunford did his best to try and bring his side back into it, but the Ballygiblin backs proved themselves more than capable as they repelled all of his efforts with relative ease.

This is a well-balanced Ballygiblin outfit and with Keane, O’Sullivan and Flynn offering more than a sprinkle of stardust they have every chance of claiming another Munster title in a fortnight’s time.

Scorers for Ballygiblin: J O’Sullivan (0-11, 0-3 ‘65s, 0-5 frees), D Flynn (1-1), S Beston and C O’Mahony (0-3 each), R Donegan (0-1).

Scorers for Colligan: J Wall (0-4, frees), D Booth and J Booth (0-2 each), G Whelan and C Dunford (0-1 each).

BALLYGIBLIN:C Noonan; L Finn, F Herlihy (Capt), J Mullins; B Coffey, M Keane, M Lewis; R Donegan, K Roche; D Flynn, J O’Sullivan, S Beston; C O’Mahony, S O’Sullivan, D Barry.

Subs: D Sheehan for Barry (40), K Duggan for S O’Sullivan (51), A O’Brien for Beston (inj, 57), D Price for O’Mahony and C O’Brien for Roche (both 60) 

COLLIGAN: S McGrath; A O’Riordan, J Nic Fennell, L Beresford; M Flynn, D Booth, R Stringer; J Booth, R Dunford; R Browne (jc), J Wall, J Dunford; G Whelan, A Dunford, C Dunford (jc).

Subs: R Kiely for Whelan (35), M Horgan for J Dunford (37), C Wheland for A Dunford (52), S Browne for Nic Fennell (59).

Referee: Joe Mullins (Clare).