Pictured is AIB ambassador Pauric Mahony ahead of the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland senior club championship final between Ballygunner and Loughrea Morgan Treacy/INPHO
FreeBallygunner Brilliance
'It's not about have you won one or 10 All-Irelands, it's the All-Ireland that's in front of you'
Pauric Mahony and Ballygunner band of brothers chasing second title.
FOR ALL OF their dominance in Waterford and Munster, Ballygunner have won just one All-Ireland senior hurling club title.
In Sunday’s decider against Loughrea at Croke Park, the Déise outfit are looking to double their national tally.
12 county titles in a row, five of the last seven in Munster; it’s an enviable record. Is there a sense that one All-Ireland wouldn’t do this team justice?
“That hasn’t been discussed within this group anyway,” says Pauric Mahony, the former Waterford star who is one of four brothers involved.
“It might be an outside perception, maybe people in Ballygunner might say that, but for us, it’s very much maximising every game that we play. We can’t go back and play games that happened two or three years ago, we have a game this weekend and that’s what we’re focusing on.
“It’s an All-Ireland final. It’s not about have you won one All-Ireland or two All-Irelands or 10 All-Irelands, it’s the All-Ireland that’s in front of you.
“Maybe in time, we might look back and say, ‘Jesus, we overachieved’ or, ‘We underachieved’ but whilst we’re still playing, it’s all about the future and what’s ahead of us.”
The dramatic 2022 win over Ballyhale Shamrocks, secured by Harry Ruddle’s “one in 100, freak moment”, must be parked. The defeats and near misses, too.
Time for new moments, new memories.
Mahony celebrates at the final whistle of the 2022 final. Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
The factors behind Ballygunner’s success are plentiful. In Mahony’s eyes, the standout is two or three different age groups coming together at the same time, driving competition and creating a good environment.
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He also makes a point about the pain of the past spurring them on inside county lines.
“For years, before we went on this run, in Waterford we weren’t winning championships and we were suffering some heavy losses. Maybe that’s what gave us that steely mentality going into the Waterford championship that we wanted it so badly.
“For us, we’re well aware that’s not going to go on forever either so we’re trying to just make the most of what’s in front of us now.”
Leading this charge is Jason Ryan, previously best known for his time at the helm of the Wexford and Kildare senior footballers. Ryan succeeded Darragh O’Sullivan last February, and has built on strong foundations.
“Number one, Jason has obviously got good people around him and he assembled a strong management team,” says Mahony. “Jason’s obviously a very good coach himself and does a lot of the coaching with us as well.
Ballygunner manager Jason Ryan. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“The different codes, Jason’s background is hurling, soccer and Gaelic football and bringing new ideas and applying them to different types of drills in training has probably brought a bit of freshness to the whole thing as well.
“Jason brings high energy levels as well to the training field and it’s hard not to match his level of energy then when you see him at that pitch. He’s certainly been a big asset to the setup.
“It’s the two or three percent of a tweak to what we’ve been doing for the last number of years. The small subtle changes really that’s impacted.”
The Ballygunner family ties are strong, with four Mahonys in the team: Pauric, Philip, Kevin and Michael. The band of brothers have been well documented through the years, and playing together in Croke Park is the stuff of dreams.
Philip and Pauric Mahony celebrate a Waterford championship win in 2022. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s great obviously having family there and I have some cousins, uncles involved and it has been that way for a number of years and obviously some of my closest friends are involved in it as well,” says Pauric.
“I suppose it’s more the whole community in that aspect (rather) than certain families because we’re all very close, a tight-knit group. The hard days can be hard, the good days can be even better when you’re so close with the group.”
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The singular focus of club has been enjoyable since Mahony’s inter-county retirement in 2023, while life outside of hurling is busy.
His day job as regional manager of Banner Industries requires some travel, while his two-year-old daughter Faye brings the fun at home. It’s a different dynamic, but one he loves.
“It gives you a perspective on sport as well, I suppose. It’s not the be all and end all, as much as we do obviously put so much time and emphasis on it, there’s life outside of Ireland as well.
“I do a little bit of travelling with the job, in Europe mainly. I have the baby at home now as well — she’s not so much a baby anymore, she was two there last week. She’s keeping me on my toes, but again it’s a nice distraction.
“She’s certainly not annoying you about hurling or matches coming up at the weekend!”
Pictured are AIB ambassadors Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner) and Shane O’Brien (Loughrea). Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
That’s left to Dad, who will lead the Ballygunner bid for that second All-Ireland title as free-taker.
“When you’re a young child, Croke Park is where you dream of going, whether it’s your county jersey or club jersey, so there’s definitely that element within our group that these are special days and you need to really enjoy it,” Mahony concludes.
“There’s also the reality that these days don’t come around too often either and that they’re hard-earned, so make the most of it when you are there.
“If every player gives absolutely everything for 60-65 minutes and leaves no stone unturned and has no regrets coming off the pitch and you don’t win, I think you can live with that. It’s when you have, ‘Oh we could have done this,’ or, ‘We should have done that’ or, ‘Could we have given that a little bit extra?’ I think that’s when you look back with more regret.”
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'It's not about have you won one or 10 All-Irelands, it's the All-Ireland that's in front of you'
FOR ALL OF their dominance in Waterford and Munster, Ballygunner have won just one All-Ireland senior hurling club title.
In Sunday’s decider against Loughrea at Croke Park, the Déise outfit are looking to double their national tally.
12 county titles in a row, five of the last seven in Munster; it’s an enviable record. Is there a sense that one All-Ireland wouldn’t do this team justice?
“That hasn’t been discussed within this group anyway,” says Pauric Mahony, the former Waterford star who is one of four brothers involved.
“It might be an outside perception, maybe people in Ballygunner might say that, but for us, it’s very much maximising every game that we play. We can’t go back and play games that happened two or three years ago, we have a game this weekend and that’s what we’re focusing on.
“Maybe in time, we might look back and say, ‘Jesus, we overachieved’ or, ‘We underachieved’ but whilst we’re still playing, it’s all about the future and what’s ahead of us.”
The dramatic 2022 win over Ballyhale Shamrocks, secured by Harry Ruddle’s “one in 100, freak moment”, must be parked. The defeats and near misses, too.
Time for new moments, new memories.
The factors behind Ballygunner’s success are plentiful. In Mahony’s eyes, the standout is two or three different age groups coming together at the same time, driving competition and creating a good environment.
He also makes a point about the pain of the past spurring them on inside county lines.
“For years, before we went on this run, in Waterford we weren’t winning championships and we were suffering some heavy losses. Maybe that’s what gave us that steely mentality going into the Waterford championship that we wanted it so badly.
Leading this charge is Jason Ryan, previously best known for his time at the helm of the Wexford and Kildare senior footballers. Ryan succeeded Darragh O’Sullivan last February, and has built on strong foundations.
“Number one, Jason has obviously got good people around him and he assembled a strong management team,” says Mahony. “Jason’s obviously a very good coach himself and does a lot of the coaching with us as well.
“The different codes, Jason’s background is hurling, soccer and Gaelic football and bringing new ideas and applying them to different types of drills in training has probably brought a bit of freshness to the whole thing as well.
“Jason brings high energy levels as well to the training field and it’s hard not to match his level of energy then when you see him at that pitch. He’s certainly been a big asset to the setup.
“It’s the two or three percent of a tweak to what we’ve been doing for the last number of years. The small subtle changes really that’s impacted.”
The Ballygunner family ties are strong, with four Mahonys in the team: Pauric, Philip, Kevin and Michael. The band of brothers have been well documented through the years, and playing together in Croke Park is the stuff of dreams.
“It’s great obviously having family there and I have some cousins, uncles involved and it has been that way for a number of years and obviously some of my closest friends are involved in it as well,” says Pauric.
“I suppose it’s more the whole community in that aspect (rather) than certain families because we’re all very close, a tight-knit group. The hard days can be hard, the good days can be even better when you’re so close with the group.”
The singular focus of club has been enjoyable since Mahony’s inter-county retirement in 2023, while life outside of hurling is busy.
His day job as regional manager of Banner Industries requires some travel, while his two-year-old daughter Faye brings the fun at home. It’s a different dynamic, but one he loves.
“It gives you a perspective on sport as well, I suppose. It’s not the be all and end all, as much as we do obviously put so much time and emphasis on it, there’s life outside of Ireland as well.
“I do a little bit of travelling with the job, in Europe mainly. I have the baby at home now as well — she’s not so much a baby anymore, she was two there last week. She’s keeping me on my toes, but again it’s a nice distraction.
“She’s certainly not annoying you about hurling or matches coming up at the weekend!”
That’s left to Dad, who will lead the Ballygunner bid for that second All-Ireland title as free-taker.
“When you’re a young child, Croke Park is where you dream of going, whether it’s your county jersey or club jersey, so there’s definitely that element within our group that these are special days and you need to really enjoy it,” Mahony concludes.
“There’s also the reality that these days don’t come around too often either and that they’re hard-earned, so make the most of it when you are there.
“If every player gives absolutely everything for 60-65 minutes and leaves no stone unturned and has no regrets coming off the pitch and you don’t win, I think you can live with that. It’s when you have, ‘Oh we could have done this,’ or, ‘We should have done that’ or, ‘Could we have given that a little bit extra?’ I think that’s when you look back with more regret.”
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