Dessie Hutchinson was at his elusive best and posted seven points as Ballygunner became the leading all-time Munster senior club hurling title holders with six.
Hutchinson fired over five first-half points and Ballygunner stretched eight ahead at the turnaround in Thurles, 0-12 to 0-4. A mini revival by Éire Óg marginally sliced their deficit to seven by the 42nd minute but Hutchinson stepped up with another brace of points in the space of three minutes to help ensure Ballygunner a fourth provincial title in five seasons.
Shane O’Donnell won a penalty on the cusp of additional time, which Danny Russell finished to the net but it was only about respectability at that stage for Éire Óg.
Éire Óg bustled early and led 0-3 to 0-2 after eight minutes but it betrayed their performance for the remainder of the half. Their puck-out malfunctioned and Ballygunner were beginning to put their passing triangles together.
By the break, Darren Moroney’s drop shot point was their only score from play whereas Ballygunner had 10 to their name, Hutchinson contributing five of them.
Ballygunner’s Pauric Mahony and David McNamara of Éire Óg. Pic ©INPHO/James Crombie
His first point in the fifth minute was an exceptional score but the majority of his efforts were ones born of anticipation and finding pockets of space to receive passes.
Between Danny Russell’s eighth minute free and his next in the 21st, Ballygunner hit them for six without reply. The latter two were sent over by Patrick Fitzgerald, the second of them an audacious effort from a tight angle under the Ryan Stand.
With Éire Óg captain David Reidy struggling to get into the game and O’Donnell’s frustrations boiling over with a 29th minute yellow card, more of the same followed in the closing stages of the half.
Peter Hogan and Conor Shehan opened their accounts after Pauric Mahony’s third free and Hutchinson finished off a delightful point after a beautiful touch pass by Fitzgerald.
D. Hutchinson (0-7); P. Mahony (0-5, 4 frees); P. Fitzgerald (0-4, 1 free); P. Hogan (0-3); C. Sheahan, M. Mahony (0-1 each).
D. Russell (1-6, 1-0 pen, 0-6 frees); D. Moroney, S. O’Donnell, O. Cahill (0-1 each).
S. O’Keeffe; T. Foley, I. Kenny, A. O’Neill; H. Ruddle, Philip Mahony, R. Power; C. Sheahan. P. Leavey; P. Hogan (j-c), Pauric Mahony, M. Mahony (j-c); D. Hutchinson, P. Fitzgerald, K. Mahony.
M. Hartley for Pauric Mahony (47); C. Power for P. Hogan (54); E. Cuddihy for P. Fitzgerald (58); E. O’Brien for T. Foley (59); L. Cleary for H. Ruddle (60+5).
D. Stack; F. Treacy, C. Russell, L. Corry; J. Collins, A. Fitzgerald, R. Loftus; O. Cahill, D Moroney; D. McNamara, D. Reidy (c), T. Kavanagh; D. Russell, S. O’Donnell, M. Cleary.
R. Mulcahy for L. Corry (37); J. O’Dwyer for D. McNamara, D. O’Brien for T. Kavanagh (both 47); E. O’Regan for D. Reidy (56).
A. Tierney (Tipperary).
