Gunners hope young guns, old heads will prevail

BALLYGUNNER bring a mix of youth and experience to the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday when they begin their Munster Club Hurling Championship campaign against Limerick champions Garryspillane.

The Gunners' place was earned on the strength of the narrowest of victories over the Waterford surprise packets De La Salle in a thrilling county final.

"Until then we hadn't even given the Munster championship a second thought, but since then we have put in a really solid effort on the training ground", O'Sullivan said.

The Gunners' record in the Munster arena makes less than impressive reading, although they were very unlucky on at least two occasions before making the breakthrough in 2001.

They contested the provincial decider for the first time in 1966 but lost 2-17 to 1-11 to a brilliant Carrick Davins side inspired by the great Mick Roche. Back in the final again two years later it was the same disappointing story with Clare's Newmarket-On-Fergus eight-point winners, 5-8 to 4-3.

Twenty-eight years passed before the Gunners reached the final again in 1996 but they were again denied with another Clare side, Wolfe Tones of Shannon, taking the title by 4-9 to 4-8.

"Things got no better for us in 1999 when we again met Clare opposition in the final", Pat O'Sullivan recalls. "It was another close run affair with St. Joseph's of Doora/Barefield, but again we ended up on the wrong side of a 4-9 to 3-8 final scoreline'.

The long overdue breakthrough came in 2001 and it was one of O'Sullivan's sons, Billy, who had the distinction of captaining the side. Two other members of the clan, Rory and Darragh, also featured in the Gunners' starting line up.

Darragh lost out for the recent county final when he had to settle for the substitutes bench and it's unlikely he'll earn a recall on Sunday. Billy, now the veteran of the team at 38, could also struggle for a place in attack after being replaced late in the decider.

At least six members of the victorious side of four years ago are no longer involved. They include one of the club's greatest ever players, Stephen Frampton, along with goalkeeper Ray Whitty, Tom Fives, Paul Power, Mick Mahony, and Tony Carroll.

Frampton and Mahony, however, are both members of the management team.

Pat O'Sullivan is in no doubt that the Gunners are facing a major test of character in having to take on the newly crowned Limerick champions "in their own backyard'.

"Garryspillane had been striving for so long to win that first Limerick title and I can only try to imagine what it has meant to everyone involved with the club", he said. "They have certainly earned our respect and will get it in full measure."

Waterford clubs have won the Munster title just three times. Mount Sion were the first in 1981, beating Limerick's South Liberties, and also accounted for Sixmilebridge in the 2002 decider.