Derek McGrath: Ballygunner's success built not on numbers but family principles
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Ballygunner have built their success on solid foundations. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton
On Wednesday, we said goodbye to a much-treasured friend. Br Tim (Pat) O Shea was an iconic figure here in De la Salle College. A native of Kenmare, his great friend Br Tommy eulogised of his dedication, his humility, his grace, his courage and his innate ability to make other people feel very special.
Br Tom remembered the Harty Cup victories of 2007 and 2008 and the intangible joy that Tim felt when the holy grail had finally been achieved. Memories stirred of arriving as one of two first-year students in 1989 from St Saviour's National School in Ballybeg. The warmth of the welcome, the astute guidance and support of Tim was immediately evident. Employed for the summers of 91, 92 and 93 Tim ensured that I was well looked after and a much appreciated few bob was banked before college.
Returning to the college as a teacher, Tim’s understated role continued during myself and Dermot Dooley's tenure as coaches to the hurling teams. The vision was a shared one and Brothers Tim, Damien, Ben, Tom and Killian ensured that we wanted for nothing in terms of the resources needed to achieve success. Lasallian schools live by the principle of “celebrating diversity and respecting and honouring the dignity of all individuals”. Nobody epitomised De La Salle and what it should stand for more than Br Tim.
Ahead of Sunday's clash between Ballyhale and Ballygunner, Tim would be so proud that 14 of the 15 starters for Ballygunner, and indeed all of the extended panel attended the college. He would also acknowledge that Joe Dunphy — cited by all the Ballyhale players as the biggest influence on their careers in Ballyhale National School — also attended the school. Tim would understatedly inform you that he was a De La Salle man but he lived by the St John Baptise De La Salle Maxim that “mildness, humility and respect for your neighbour should always be apparent in your conduct”.
While many in Waterford have sniped at the numbers available to the affluent areas of the Dunmore Road, Ballygunner have built their base, like most clubs, on family principles of togetherness, spirit and hard work. A proper analysis concludes that seven players — the four Mahonys, Shane O Sullivan, Tadgh Foley, Patrick Fitzgerald — are all from the one clan. Throw in Barry O'Sullivan to make it eight, the three O'Keeffes, (Stephen, Billy and Daire), the Powers (Cormac and Ronan) and over half the squad of 26 are made up of three families. The pub stool chatter of “how can you compete with those numbers” has begun to find its proper home — namely the pub.
Advances around psychological preparation, involving visualisation, coping mechanisms, vulnerability and love of place — scoffed at by others — has been embraced and gives Ballygunner a 10-year head start on others. Gerry Hussey and Tony O Regan’s influence acted as a catalyst for Paul O'Riordan’s appointment in Mount Sion last year. Once there was ignorance surrounding performance coaches. Now their value is obvious of everyone. Indeed, Ballygunner put forward their own “playing” performance coach Shane O'Sullivan for media duties this week and this had the effect of quickly diffusing any talk of disrespect for Ballyhale. The message was brilliantly managed as the air was taken out of the Ballyhale anger around Barry Coughlan's speech last year, at least for now.
Anthony Daly remarked in his column last week that Ballygunner are a very systematic team. He is right. While others lamented the notion of a sitting 6, flooding the middle third with extra bodies, asking forwards to be more than just score-getters, Ballygunner ignored the outside, ignored those who encouraged them to “get it and hit it anywhere”, and realised that systems and discipline can coexist with individual brilliance and flair.
Ballygunner have found the balance. Sean O'Donnell has been key to the mission and has been involved with them ever before he took up residence with Kinnerk and Limerick. When Paraic Mahony spoke of "metrics” after the Na Piarsaigh game and Patrick Fitzgerald talked of “our tackle count” not being at the required standard, O Donnell’s work was obvious.
Br Tim would synopsise more simply. Our Harty success in 2008, he would argue, was all about the spine. Sok in goal, Barry Coughlan at full back, Philip Mahony at 6, Eddie Barrett in the middle of the field and Paraic at 11. Much the same core is still central to Ballygunner's system.
Stephens's influence is incredible. An average of over 90% retention rate on his puckouts, not alone does he save “goals” but his ability to read the play, to sweep, to manage when to retain and when to go long is unrivalled. The post-county “kick” that Ballygunner have gotten from Philip, Barry, Stephen and Shane has had a significant impact on their success.
It’s not an accident that Ballygunner often present themselves with four in their full-back line for their own puckout, with Shane O'Sullivan normally in the Diarmaid Byrnes pocket for delivery. When Sullivan was tasked with the tracking of Kelly, Ronan Power subtly took up residence on the left of a four-man full back line, stretching the sparsely populated forward lines and handing all comfortable in possession the chance to build from the back.
Where they are better than most is in the tight. Watch for Philip Mahony's brilliant means of offloading legally with his hand, Paddy Leavy's faster version of the Brick flick, and the cuteness and guile of Kevin Mahony when down over the ball. Don't forget too just how good Darragh O'Sullivan was around the ruck. His influence is plain to see.
We have been lucky enough here in the school to witness first-hand Patrick Fitzgerald's star rising. Anyone at his Harty Cup performances against eventual winners Tulla, and Nenagh CBS, will have witnessed his vast array of skills. Not since Paddy O'Brien of Toomevara has there been a better exponent of the dummy handpass off his right, but it won’t be all pats on the back for Paddy in Ballygunner. Challenge lives side by side with support and it will have been pointed out to him that he may need to work on straightening up and finishing to the right of the keeper from his left. Also when catches are still available to him he might be wise to take the ball back into the hand before shooting.
Darragh’s comments that “not one player is ever going to manage Tony Kelly” underlined the cohesive level of understanding within the group. Tasking Shane O'Sullivan to tag Kelly was only part of the plan. Ensuring that the area “where he was getting a bit of space in the first half was being closed out, cluttered” was the more dominant theme.
Arguably, the three closest teams to Ballygunner in Waterford are De La Salle, Mount Sion and Roanmore. It took Mount Sion 44 minutes and De La Salle 40 minutes to score from play against them. Factor in that Roanmore scored four points in total from play in the county semi-final and that between their second and thir points there was a chasm of 40 minutes. That shows the strength of Ballygunner's defensive system.
In many ways, Ballyhale's placing of Eoin Cody in the corner on Kenny and Fennelly on Coughlan played into the hands of Ballygunner last year. If Ballyhale's better players were to occupy the middle third and match up against the half-back line Ballygunner would have a different puzzle to solve.
Ballyhale's disappointment and anger from the last final will translate to a performance. Of that I am certain. However, I left that Croke Park game thinking Ballygunner had not played like they could in Croke Park. I also think that Paraic's current form, Fitzgerald's impact, and the trajectory of their route, makes them better suited to a performance this year.
Admittedly it's with more than a hint of envy that we watch Ballygunner from afar. Br Tim would always advise that human nature lends itself to us wishing and longing to experience days like they are having now. Tim would encourage a total concentration on what we already have in our own clubs, citing creativity, inclusivity, and originality as a means of being more productive.
Those processes are belatedly underway in most clubs now. If not, perhaps the founder of Tim's guiding spiritual light St John Baptise De La Salle was accurate when observing that “those who are not actively involved in the learning process themselves, force their students to drink from stagnant water”.
The water to run freer for Ballygunner on Sunday next but not without some notable currents.
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