Fr O’Neill’s (Cork) 2-15 

Ballysaggart (Waterford) 0-17

Fr O'Neill's kept Cork's winning run going in the Munster club IHC when seeing off Ballysaggart in today's final at Fraher Field.

Declan Dalton was the scoring hero for the Ballymacoda / Ladysbridge outfit who follow in the footsteps of Kanturk (2017) and Charleville (2018) by claiming provincial honours. Waterford champions Ballysaggart, who had the talented Bennett brothers Stephen, Shane and Kieran in their side, went in search of late goal to force extra-time, but it never materialised and their fate was sealed when Dalton nailed the insurance point from a free in the fourth minute of injury-time to bring his tally to 1-7.

Ballysaggart led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the end of a lively first quarter, but then Fr O'Neill's struck for the opening goal through corner forward Billy Dunne. Christy Murphy levelled for Ballysaggart before scores from Rob Cullinane, Dalton and Eoin Conway helped the winners to a 1-8 to 0-9 half-time lead.

Dalton's goal at the start of the second half extended Fr O'Neill's lead before Ballysaggart - for whom Stephen Bennett posted 0-8 - reduced the deficit to two points. But they couldn't get any closer as Fr O'Neill's held on for their second provincial success - they were Munster junior champions in 2005.

Fr O’Neill's - C Sloane; P Butler, G Millerick, M Millerick; J Barry, D Harrington, T Millerick; J Millerick (0-1), K O’Sullivan; M O’Keeffe, R Cullinane (0-1), P McMahon (0-2); E Conway (0-1), D Dalton (1-7, 0-7f), B Dunne (1-1). Subs: L O’Driscoll (0-1) for E Conway, J Hankard (0-1) for J Millerick, C Broderick for J Barry.

Ballysaggart - M Ryan; Cailean O’Gorman, K Fennessy, E O’Brien; S Mangan, Stephen Bennett (0-8, 5f), D Meagher; Kieran Bennett, C Murphy (0-4); R Walsh, Shane Bennett (0-2f), Chris O’Gorman (0-2); L O’Gorman, K Cashel (0-1), Kyle Bennett. Subs: S Ryan for L O’Gorman.

Referee - J McCormack.

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