Mooncoin easily see off Galway’s Salthill to book their place in the All Ireland Junior Final.
The Kilkenny side finished convincing winners on a scoreline of 2-26-0-11.
Mooncoin got off to a blistering start in Gaelic Grounds, Limerick this afternoon with Ciarán Quilty the first to register a point for the Marble County.
Patrick Walsh quickly followed suit, adding his name to the scoresheet with a point that came from a soft free.
Salthill got a point in the 1st minute of the game but would struggle thereafter to keep up with Mooncon’s pace and style of play.
After about 11 minutes, Mooncoin began to completely dominate the game, with 5 points on the scoreboard to Salthill’s 1 point.
Salthill continued to fight hard but couldn’t convert their efforts on the field into scores and had numerous missed opportunities in front of goal.
Their first touch, passing, and distribution of the ball were in stark contrast to that of Mooncoin, who outclassed them all over the pitch.
Mooncoin played a good brand of hurling, running off the shoulder, and finding the man who was in the best position to score.
On occasion, they even hit the ball back to the goalkeeper Eoin Purcell if he had the space to clear the ball. This can be a dangerous style of play to execute but it demonstrated the trust that exists between the Mooncoin players.
Just before the water break, Donal Walsh of Salthill hit a superb point off his left and it was thought at that point that his side might still be in with a chance if they could get him more involved in the game.
At the first water break, the scoresheet read 6 points to 3 in favor of the Noresiders.
As the game resumed, Mooncoin was still winning most of the 50/50 battles but Salthhill did manage to narrow the gap to 2 points 5 minutes into the second quarter. That would be as close as they would come to the Kilkenny Junior champions.
.At the break, Mooncoin led 1-15 to 6 points.
John Fitzgerald caused more devastation for the Galway side when he found the net 5 minutes into the 2nd half. At that point, it was quite clear that there was no way back for Salthill-Knocknacarra.
A lack of confidence from Salthill caused them to miss crucial point and goal opportunities in the 2nd half which will make today’s final result all the more difficult to accept.
Patrick Walsh put in a man-of-the-match performance with 7 points from frees and 2 from play.
The game ended on a scoreline of 2-26 to 11 points.
They will now face Ballygiblin of Cork in The AIB All Ireland Club Junior Hurling Final on February 5th in Croke Park.
