Ballygunner opened with Dessie Hutchinson and Pauric Mahony points before Ryan Donnelly (free) responded.

Mahony and Hogan added two more, with Conor Curran responding for Dungarvan: 0-4 to 0-2 ten minutes in.

Ballygunner then took over totally. Hutchinson cracked over two fine points and a Mahony free was followed by Tim O’Sullivan placing Peter Hogan for a goal: 1-7 to 0-2 and 16 minutes played.

The Gunners added Mahony frees (three) and a Conor Sheahan brace. Dungarvan eventually had a Donnelly free on 25 minutes, having leaked 1-8 on the spin.

Dungarvan came into the game a little more but still trailed 1-14 to 0-5 when they won a penalty in injury time but Stephen O’Keeffe saved well from Patrick Curran, though sub Colm Curran managed a point from the attack.

Ballygunner led 1-14 to 0-6 at the half but Dungarvan were livelier on the resumption, opening with a Donnelly free and a Patrick Curran point from play. However, Michael Mahony, Hogan and Hutchinson hit back for the county champions, and it was 1-17 to 0-8 on 40 minutes.

When Michael Mahony collected a Hogan pass and hit his side’s second goal a minute later the game was as good as over as a contest, and Ballygunner saw the rest of the game out at their ease - Patrick Curran’s late goal strictly a consolation score.

Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony (0-9 , 6 frees); P. Hogan, M. Mahony (1-2 each); D. Hutchinson (0-4); C. Sheahan (0-2); B. O’Sullivan, JJ Hutchinson, B. O’Keeffe (0-1).

Scorers for Dungarvan: R. Donnelly (0-5, 4 frees); P. Curran (1-1); Cathal Curran (0-3); J. Allen, Colm Curran, G. Crotty, M. Kiely (0-1).

BALLYGUNNER: S. O’Keeffe, I. Kenny, E. Hayden, C. Sheahan, Philip Mahony, B. Coughlan, S. O’Sullivan, B. O’Keeffe, M. Mahony, D. Hutchinson, Pauric Mahony (c), B. O’Sullivan, P. Hogan, T. O’Sullivan, P. Leavy.

Subs: C. Power and W. Hutchinson for B. Coughlan and T. O’Sullivan (52); JJ Hutchinson for Sheahan (53); T. Foley for B. O’Keeffe (57).

DUNGARVAN: G. Power, A. Donnelly, J. Curran, S. Ryan, J. Nagle, K. Power, K. Moore, M. Kiely, J. Lacey, C. Curran, J. Allen, R. Donnelly (c), D. Lyons, P. Curran, G. Crotty.

Subs: Colm Curran for Moore (inj., 13); Cormac Curran for A. Donnelly (29); K. Daly for Kiely (49); J. Duggan for Colm Curran (51).

Referee: N. Barry (Passage).

* In the relegation play-off which preceded the semi-final, Ballyduff Upper and Fourmilewater played out an entertaining draw, 0-15 to 1-12, and will have to meet again at a date to be confirmed.