Ballyea 1-21 Glen Rovers 2-10
Two powerful 10-minute bursts at the end of either half propelled Ballyea to Munster glory just three weeks after the club annexed a first Clare title, writes Eoghan Cormican at Semple Stadium.
The first-time Munster finalists hit six points in-a-row approaching the break to open up a nine-point interval advantage and then outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-2 from the 51st minute onwards.
They were deserving champions and had outstanding performers in Gearoid O’Connell, Tony Kelly and Niall Deasy.
Ballyea looked to have one hand on the title at half-time, leading by 1-10 to 0-4.
Their goal arrived after 12 minutes, Pearse Lillis getting around Gavin Moylan and delivering a superb strike to beat Cathal Hickey in the Glen Rovers goal.
The opening goal of the contest moved the Clare champions 1-3 to 0-3 in front and while Niall Deasy and David Cunningham traded points in the ensuing passages, Ballyea hit six without reply before the break to carve out a nine-point interval advantage.
Conor Dorris goaled within two minutes of the restart to bring the Cork champions back into it and the gap was further narrowed when the corner-forward rattled the net for a second time on 38 minutes.
The scoreline now read 1-11 to 2-5, but three points was as close as it would get.
Tony Kelly, Gary Brennan and Niall Deasy hit three of the next four points to settle Ballyea and while two Patrick Horgan placed ball efforts again reduced the margin to three, the winners finished in a blaze of glory, shooting seven points in the closing nine minutes.
Scorers for Ballyea: N Deasy (0-7, 0-3 frees); T Kelly (0-5); P Lillis (1-1); G O’Connell (0-3); D Burke, PJ Connolly (0-2 each); G Brennan (0-1).
Scorers for Glen Rovers: C Dorris (2-1); P Horgan (0-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65); M Dooley (0-2); D Cunningham, C O’Brien (0-1 each).
Glen Rovers: C Hickey; C Healy, S McDonnell, G Moylan; D Dooling, B Moylan, G Callanan; D Brosnan, P Horgan, D Cunningham; C Dorris, C O’Brien, D Busteed.
Subs: M Dooley for Busteed (37 mins); B Murphy for Moylan (37); G Kennefick for O’Brien (44)
Ballyea: K Sheehan; B Carrigg, J Browne, J Neylon; P Flanagan, G O’Connell, J Murphy; T Kelly, S Lineen; N Deaasy, PJ Connolly, C Doohan; P Lillis, G Brennan, D Burke.
Subs: P O’Connell for Lillis for (61).
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)
