Prendergast rolls back years to inspire Ardmore in epic
ARDMORE 3-11 ST MOGUES FETHARD 0-18
ALL-IRELAND CLUB JHC FINAL FORMER Waterford attacker Seamus Prendergast steered Ardmore to glory in an extra-time epic with St Mogues Fethard at Croke Park.
The 38-year-old shot 1-8 in a man of the match performance from fullforward.
John Gartland blasted home two crucial goals while Richie Hennessy, Seamus Keating and Kenny Murphy also starred. David Gartland rescued Ardmore in normal time with a 64th-minute leveller into Hill 16.
Mogues had rallied from four behind to seize a 0-14 to 2-7 lead entering stoppagetime, thanks in part to dead-eyed free-taker Mark Wallace, who finished with 14 points.
However, Ardmore never looked back in the additional 20. Prendergast set the tone with a massive strike from centrefield, and Tom Cronin’s team enjoyed a 2-11 to 0-15 interval advantage.
Two minutes into the second period, substitute Stephen Keating shrugged off two tacklers and fed Gartland who rammed it to the net.
A late goal chance for Mogues substitute Bryan Power fizzed wide of the posts to give Ardmore first All-Ireland club title for Waterford. SCORERS – Ardmore: S Prendergast 1-8 (0-7fs), J Gartland 2-0, D Gartland 0-2, Seamus Keating 0-1. St Mogues: M Wallace 0-14 (12fs, 1 ‘65’), M Dwyer 0-2, G Foley, E Power 0-1 each.
ARDMORE – J Walsh; D Power, D Prendergast, N Hennessy; G Williams, Seamus Keating, R Hennessy; K Murphy, W Hennessy; S Barron, D Gartland, M Cronin; J Flavin, S Prendergast, J Gartland. Subs: J Kennedy for Cronin (H-T), K Conway for Power (43), Stephen Keating for W Hennessy (70), M Cronin for Kennedy (74), W Hennessy for Williams (80).
STMOGUES– S Foley; M Power, R Tubrid, D Mullan; R Waters, K Rowe, J Sutton; G Foley, J Tubritt; E Power, M Wallace, D Barden; C Dwyer, G O’Grady, M Dwyer. Subs: D Foley for O’Grady (43), D Foley for O’Grady (43), B Power for Tubritt (49), B O’Donoghue for E Power (64), E Power for O’Donoghue (70), G O’Grady for C Dwyer (70). REF – S Hynes (Galway)