A historic year continues for Ballyea as they were crowned Munster club champions in their first ever provincial decider.

This season has been one of firsts for Ballyea, tomorrow they play their first championship game outside Co Clare and they will be opening to collect a Munster title which the club has never done before.

They’ve won a new legion of fans following their exploits over the past fortnight and now provincial glory is on offer for the Ballyea senior hurlers.

At the beginning of the year Robbie Hogan questioned whether or not he would return for a fourth season in charge of the Ballyea senior hurlers, little did he think that he would preparing the troops for a Munster Final in the month of November.

Two-time All-Ireland senior hurling medallist with Clare, Fergal Hegarty has labelled Tony Kelly as the greatest hurler to be produced in Co Clare.

In arguably the greatest game played in Cusack Park this year, Ballyea showed why honesty and character will prevail as they booked their place in the Munster Club SHC final with an extra time win over Thurles Sarsfields.

He’s a Kilmihill man but since becoming the first man to captain Ballyea to glory in the Clare SHC, Stan Lineen will always be associated with the village of Ballyea.

During his playing days with Kilnamona, Fergal Hegarty never came close to winning a Clare SHC medal but in his first year as trainer of the Ballyea hurlers he has helped guide them to the club’s first ever senior title.

All year long Ballyea’s motto has been ‘you win or you learn’, throughout 2016 they have taken lessons from every game resulting in them being crowned the ultimate winners and 2016 Clare SHC champions.