Kerry hurling suffered another setback when Waterford champions Ballygunner proved far too strong for a weakened Lixnaw outfit at Austin Stack Park yesterday. Lixnaw had to line out without four key players. The visitors were inspired by a dominant half-back line of Alan Kirwin, Stephen Frampton and Fergal Hartley. Mick Mahony goaled after four minutes and points from Tony Carroll and Paul Flynn had Ballygunner leading 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Lixnaw's forwards were woefully inadequate but Billy O'Sullivan, Paul Flynn and Tony Carroll continued to plunder scores for Ballygunner, who led 110 to 0-3 at half-time.

The second half was one-way traffic with Hartley driving Ballygunner forward, they picked off scores with substitute Liam White goaling in the 46th minute.

BALLYGUNNER: R Whitty; N O'Donnell, N Warren, R O'Sullivan; A Kirwin, S Frampton, F Hartley; T Fives, P Power (0-1); S Lyons (0-2), P Flynn (0-2), T Carroll (0-6); B O'Sullivan (0- 5), D O'Sullivan, M Mahony (1-2). Subs: L White (1-2) for P Power; P Foley (0-1) for M Mahony; P Dowling for N O'Donnell.

LIXNAW: E Thornton; A Cronin, C Lyons, M McCarthy; P Dowling, T McKenna, T O'Mahony; E Fitzmaurice, P Galvin (0-3); M Kelleher, D McCarthy, M Conway (0-1); K Dowling (0-1), C Fitzmaurice, F Fitzmaurice. Subs: J Maher for E Fitzmaurice; B McElligott for T O'Mahony; JP O'Connell for M Kelleher.

Referee: D Richardson (Limerick).