WATERFORD SHC FINAL:
Lismore 2-18 Ballygunner 4-12
Lismore and Ballygunner will have to meet again to decide the destination of the Waterford Senior Hurling title for 2009 after a pulsating drawn encounter at Walsh Park today.
There were goals galore in a game which failed to disappoint and left the 7,000 strong attendance on the edge of their seats throughout.
The 19-year-old Maurice Shanahan, a brother of Waterford star Dan Shanahan, led the Lismore charge in the opening half with five well-struck points.
Lismore were certainly on fire in the opening stages and led by 1-6 to 0-3 after 17 minutes' play, with their goal coming from Stephen O'Keefe.
O'Keefe's third minute goal was the early tonic Lismore needed as Shane Bennett fed Dan Shanahan before the towering attacker gave the scoring pass to O'Keefe.
Paul Flynn kept Ballygunner in touch with four of their opening five points, cutting the deficit to 1-6 to 0-5 eight minutes before half-time.
Flynn was in fine form on the restart with Ballygunner netting four second half goals, including one from the stick of Flynn himself.
Shane O'Sullivan struck home Ballygunner's fourth goal in the 45th minute to level the tie at 4-6 to 2-12.
The sides traded scores on two further occasions as Flynn brought his tally to 1-6 before a grandstand finish.
Neither side gave an inch in the closing stages with a draw a fair result in the end.
Lismore and Ballygunner will be back in Walsh Park next Saturday night for the replay under floodlights.