Saturday night alright for hurling as Ballygunner boss O'Sullivan focused on getting job done
Ballygunner manager Darragh O'Sullivan. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Ballygunner’s success these has brought them to some pretty peculiar situations.
This weekend last year, their All-Ireland semi-final against Ballyhale Shamrocks in Croke Park clashed with the World Cup final in Qatar.
This time around, their last-four game has been scheduled for the almost ungodly, certainly unhurling hour of 7.30pm in Portlaoise. Close to four-hour commutes for both them and St Thomas’ on a dark winter night, it’s far from ideal.
“It’s not something we really discussed within the group but I don’t think it’s right that it should be 7.30 on a Saturday evening,” says Ballygunner manager Darragh O’Sullivan. “Most people would agree with that. If TV is dictating that then that has to be considered as well but it’s something we can’t control and we focus on what’s within our control.”
Nevertheless, fixture-making has been a bane for Ballygunner of late. After beating Clonlara in last Sunday week’s Munster final, O’Sullivan was deep in conversation with Waterford chairman Seán O’Regan and secretary Pat Flynn on the field in Thurles. The conversation was obvious – Ballygunner’s outstanding U20 business.
Since winning a third consecutive provincial title, the club have beaten Clonea and Abbeyside to win the county U20 crown although the decision was taken to rest starlet Patrick Fitzgerald.
“He missed the U20 final last weekend and that was difficult for him but these things happen,” remarks O’Sullivan.
Those additional games presented “a challenge” to O’Sullivan but he is otherwise satisfied with how Ballygunner’s preparations have gone for this All-Ireland club semi-final.
At this stage, the 2022 semi-final is long parked but the below-par display against Shamrocks is one that doesn’t bear repeating.
“At the start of the year, we look back and we do analyse if there are areas we can improve on and certainly the All-Ireland semi-final was something we hope we drew lessons from and made us stronger this year. But we don’t harp on about it. Since our first or second meeting at the start of the year, it wouldn’t have been mentioned.”
Speaking after the Munster final, Dessie Hutchinson touched on how Ballygunner’s work-rate statistics last year were deteriorating up to their championship exit. O’Sullivan adds: “The numbers we were hitting in the Munster final last year would have been lower than what we achieved against Na Piarsaigh in the semi-final.
“In the All-Ireland semi-final, they would have dipped again so there was a correlation between performances and the statistics. Thankfully, we didn’t see that happen in this year’s Munster final and we hope to get a performance this weekend.”
Ballygunner’s consistency in performance this season is matched by their consistency in personnel. They were able to name the same starting team for all three of their Munster games. In the county final, semi-final and quarter-final before that, the only change was Harry Ruddle for Ronan Power.
Sure, Kevin Mahony was required to give a dig-out at wing-back during the county championship but the faces and line-up has been decidedly familiar. “We do have a settled team,” acknowledges O’Sullivan. “We have lads very close to getting into the team but haven’t because the performance levels have been so high and that does help.
“This is probably going to be the fourth game in a row where we will pick the same team whereas early on we had a few injuries and then Ian Kenny came back from Australia, which allowed us to push Kevin back up the field and Ronan Power was away in America for a period as well. A settled team is great but it doesn’t mean that the lads not on it aren’t playing well. We’d have full confidence in our bench.”
Where there has been variety is the players standing out for Ballygunner. O’Sullivan is enthused by how the team particularly the forward line are sharing the load. “If you look back at our four last matches, it’s been a different man of the match each time – Peter (Hogan) the last day, Pauric (Mahony) before him, I think it was Dessie against Sarsfields and Kevin in the county final.
“That gives them all confidence. It’s hard to tie down them lads. If one is, generally another fella pops up with scores. It’s pleasing that we’re not totally dependent on one player.”
In St Thomas’, Ballygunner might see something of themselves, a seasoned group who have been accused of under-achieving, winning one All-Ireland win and making another final appearance from six runs at the Tommy Moore Cup in 10 years.
O’Sullivan anticipates a grueller. “They’re hugely experienced. Six lads with All-Ireland senior inter-county medals in their pocket. They’ve been around this stage for a long time and I think this is the first time in a while that they’re going into an All-Ireland semi-final with a full deck.
“They’ve had time to analyse us. It’s going to be a huge battle. Any team that wins the Galway championship six times in a row is going to bring it.”
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