Cuala today became the first ever Dublin side to be crowned AIB All-Ireland club hurling champions when they captured the Tommy Moore Cup with a 2-19 to 1-10 win over Clare's Ballyea in Croke Park.

Colm Cronin's goal after 15 minutes helped Cuala to a 1-7 to 0-4 lead at the break.

Ballyea had the wind in the second half and despite scoring a goal through Niall Deasy, the Clare Champions were unable to break down a solid Cuala rearguard.

Deasy ended up as Ballyea's top scorer with 1-6, which included 6 pointed frees.

Ballyea manager Robbie Hogan congratulated Cuala as the better team but had no ready answer for what had happened his side.

“I don’t know, they weren’t nervous coming up. I just don’t know. We prepared as best we could, just again the little things that went our way all year just avoided us today really. Maybe nerves did play a part," he told the Irish Independent.

Hogan noted that the man-marking job by Cuala on Tony Kelly limited the Ballyea star man's ability to influence the game.

“They did that exceptionally well and I have to compliment them on that,” said Hogan. “Again, the first one went wide on Tony and the other came off the best, and if one of them stuck it creates a bit of momentum.

“It would have gave a bit of a forward plan for Tony but I have to compliment their man-marking they did very well on him," Hogan told GAA.ie.

Ballyea: K Sheehan; J Neylon, J Browne, B Carrig; P Flanagan, G O'Connell, J Murphy (0-01); T Kelly, S Lineen; N Deasy (1-06, 0-06f), PJ Connolly, C Doohan; P Lillis (0-02), G Brennan (0-01), D Burke. Subs: M O'Leary for Connolly, D Egan for Burke, B Murphy for Neylon, M Coughlan for Lineen.

Cuala: S Brennan; S Timlin, Cian O'Callaghan, P Schutte; J Malone (1-00), S Moran, O Gough; J Sheanon (0-01), D O'Connell (0-03); S Treacy, C Cronin (1-01), D Treacy (0-09, 0-08f); M Schutte (0-01), Con O'Callaghan (0-02), C Waldron. Subs: C Sheanon (0-02) for C Waldron, R Tierney for Timlin, N Kenny for Cronin.

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).