ON THE FIRST day of December last year, Ballygunner saw their Munster four-in-a-row ambitions ripped up.
Dominant in the post-Covid era in the province, they had pieced together eleven wins on the bounce in that championship, stretching back to late November 2021
Sarsfields stunned the favourites but deserved to dethrone the Munster champions after a serving up a brilliant showing.
Ballygunner had to stew on that defeat but they returned to winning ways in the province in Limerick on Sunday when they bettered Na Piarsaigh.
Their reward? A semi-final against their Cork conquerors from 2024.
“They deserve to be Munster champions, we acknowledge that, but obviously you want to get another go at them because we were hurt after last year,” says Ballygunner’s attacking leader Dessie Hutchinson.
“Look it’s going to be a brilliant game again and we’re back down in Walsh Park, we had a massive support there with us today, so it’s nice to keep them at home and even get more people in there.
Advertisement
“We have to prove it. You can do all the video analysis and all the training in the world, but if you don’t turn up on a Sunday with a huge work-rate and energy that you won’t get far.”
Any concerns about Ballygunner possessing the right mix of energy and work-rate were quickly dispelled on Sunday. They got to the pitch of the game quickly and remained in the hunt throughout.
Ballygunner's Ronan Power celebrates after Sunday's game. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
The eight-week layoff since the county final didn’t prove an obstacle. Dessie was part of a crew that kept themselves busy with the Gaultier footballers, forward team-mate Patrick Fitzgerald being another. They lost out narrowly to The Nire two weeks ago at the senior semi-final stage.
When the time came to get set for a Munster hurling assignment, he was ready. It’s just over 140km from Ballygunner’s base south of Waterford city to the Gaelic Grounds, but the trip isn’t daunting for them. They know the road well.
“Look we’re used to the preparation by now, the long lay-off and stuff. A few of us were playing football there for a few weeks, but it’s just about staying sharp, trying to play a few challenge games, and we get our work done in the pitch with each other in internal games and stuff too, which is really important.
“I don’t know what way it works or what, but we’re always in a quarter-final and we’re always away from home, so it’s not easy. But days like this coming up on a bus to Limerick, it builds the bond even more and it’s brilliant.
“This is our fourth year in a row up here, so I think we have to give ourselves massive credit to be able to come up here four years on the trot and get victories.”
The latest success was achieved without their towering forward Pauric Mahony, an ankle problem preventing his involvement.
“He’s had a horrible time this year with injuries,” admitted Hutchinson.
“Luckily enough I suppose in one way it worked for us because we played the Waterford championship without him for a long time. We only knew during the week he wasn’t going to be available today, so it’s a quick shift, a mindset shift. We’re missing our key man, but thankfully today lads stepped up all over the pitch.”
Ballygunner's Pauric Mahony is challenged by Jamie Gleeson of Mount Sion during the Waterford county final. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
On they go to a Munster semi-final, bidding to reach the final for a remarkable eighth campaign in a row. There’s a new sideline supremo this year in Jason Ryan.
“He’s just come in, he hasn’t tried to change anything major, he’s kept us playing the way we’ve always played and tried to add a little bit more to us,” outlines Hutchinson.
“We feel like we’re really fit this year, not that we weren’t fit before, but Darragh Mulcahy has come in with us as well and added a new dimension, our training is a bit different.
“It’s just new energy all over the place and that kind of gives everybody a lift too, which was needed. The boys have done an unbelievable job with us, but they were there for six or seven years, so that freshness of new people coming in, it adds new energy all through the club and the dressing room, so it’s great.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
4 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Dessie Hutchinson: 'You want to get another go at them because we were hurt after last year'
ON THE FIRST day of December last year, Ballygunner saw their Munster four-in-a-row ambitions ripped up.
Dominant in the post-Covid era in the province, they had pieced together eleven wins on the bounce in that championship, stretching back to late November 2021
Sarsfields stunned the favourites but deserved to dethrone the Munster champions after a serving up a brilliant showing.
Ballygunner had to stew on that defeat but they returned to winning ways in the province in Limerick on Sunday when they bettered Na Piarsaigh.
Their reward? A semi-final against their Cork conquerors from 2024.
“They deserve to be Munster champions, we acknowledge that, but obviously you want to get another go at them because we were hurt after last year,” says Ballygunner’s attacking leader Dessie Hutchinson.
“Look it’s going to be a brilliant game again and we’re back down in Walsh Park, we had a massive support there with us today, so it’s nice to keep them at home and even get more people in there.
“We have to prove it. You can do all the video analysis and all the training in the world, but if you don’t turn up on a Sunday with a huge work-rate and energy that you won’t get far.”
Any concerns about Ballygunner possessing the right mix of energy and work-rate were quickly dispelled on Sunday. They got to the pitch of the game quickly and remained in the hunt throughout.
The eight-week layoff since the county final didn’t prove an obstacle. Dessie was part of a crew that kept themselves busy with the Gaultier footballers, forward team-mate Patrick Fitzgerald being another. They lost out narrowly to The Nire two weeks ago at the senior semi-final stage.
When the time came to get set for a Munster hurling assignment, he was ready. It’s just over 140km from Ballygunner’s base south of Waterford city to the Gaelic Grounds, but the trip isn’t daunting for them. They know the road well.
“Look we’re used to the preparation by now, the long lay-off and stuff. A few of us were playing football there for a few weeks, but it’s just about staying sharp, trying to play a few challenge games, and we get our work done in the pitch with each other in internal games and stuff too, which is really important.
“I don’t know what way it works or what, but we’re always in a quarter-final and we’re always away from home, so it’s not easy. But days like this coming up on a bus to Limerick, it builds the bond even more and it’s brilliant.
“This is our fourth year in a row up here, so I think we have to give ourselves massive credit to be able to come up here four years on the trot and get victories.”
The latest success was achieved without their towering forward Pauric Mahony, an ankle problem preventing his involvement.
“He’s had a horrible time this year with injuries,” admitted Hutchinson.
“Luckily enough I suppose in one way it worked for us because we played the Waterford championship without him for a long time. We only knew during the week he wasn’t going to be available today, so it’s a quick shift, a mindset shift. We’re missing our key man, but thankfully today lads stepped up all over the pitch.”
On they go to a Munster semi-final, bidding to reach the final for a remarkable eighth campaign in a row. There’s a new sideline supremo this year in Jason Ryan.
“He’s just come in, he hasn’t tried to change anything major, he’s kept us playing the way we’ve always played and tried to add a little bit more to us,” outlines Hutchinson.
“We feel like we’re really fit this year, not that we weren’t fit before, but Darragh Mulcahy has come in with us as well and added a new dimension, our training is a bit different.
“It’s just new energy all over the place and that kind of gives everybody a lift too, which was needed. The boys have done an unbelievable job with us, but they were there for six or seven years, so that freshness of new people coming in, it adds new energy all through the club and the dressing room, so it’s great.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ballygunner club GAA Hurling Munster Sarsfields Waterford