Ballygunner 'rode our luck' against Doon says goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe

RODE OUR LUCK: Ballygunner goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe during the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship quarter-final. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The split nature of the Waterford senior championship season has worked pretty well for Ballygunner’s Munster aspirations but goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe isn’t entirely convinced by it.

Speaking after Sunday’s win over Doon, Darragh O’Sullivan reiterated his belief that the schedule works for his charges – “We needed a break, to be honest with you, after the county final (v Abbeyside in September). Because there was a lot of wounded bodies going in there that day.”

O’Keeffe is not in total agreement with his manager.

“I don’t know where I land on it now. We’ve been successful in the three years it’s been in place so that’s great. There are obviously a few nerves leading into a nine-week break. It’s essentially the first game of the season and you have to be right at the pitch of it.

“I know Doon would have loved an extra week of a break. I think you saw their shooting was a little bit sharper, especially in the first half. They were scoring very good points from the sideline under pressure and we weren’t as clinical as we were in the second.

“I hope it stands to us anyway. I did feel there were times when balls weren’t going to hand and the touch was a little bit off. You get a little bit nervous but we rallied well in the second half so you have to be happy.”

O’Keeffe goes further and admits Ballygunner “rode our luck at times” and were fortunate "to get out of here” having been five points early in the second half of Sunday’s Munster SHC quarter-final in Limerick.

But for his superb save from Jack Ryan, they could have been seven in arrears. The Doon forward’s run towards the goal gave him an edge.

“I don’t know if there is much of a process. He was in for a while so I had time to set myself. Maybe that makes the difference, I’m not really sure. I hadn’t saved a shot all year in the Waterford championship so I was due to make a save!”

O’Keeffe, 33, is in his fourth season focusing solely on Ballygunner after stepping away from the inter-county scene. For a goalkeeper who is widely regarded as one of the best around, the satisfaction he gleans playing for his club is more than enough.

“There is something special about getting on the bus with your team-mates and heading on up to Limerick for the day. We’re playing under lights, the Ballygunner flag flying in the Gaelic Grounds, it is special. 

"I know it sounds corny but these days might come around too often in the future so you do have to appreciate them when they’re here, definitely.”

Three years after their gruelling Munster semi-final in Fraher Field, Ballygunner and Loughmore-Castleiney duel in Waterford city on Sunday week. The Waterford kingpins relied on their grit that day and O’Keeffe is gearing himself up for another tussle.

“You take every team on their merits and Loughmore have county stars throughout their team. Other players I would have played with in college who are serious club hurlers. They will absolutely be respected and I’m sure they’re looking forward to having a pop off us as well.

“It’s on us to try and be ready because this was a serious battle. I think we only took the lead with 15 minutes to go and we were losing for most of the game.

"It’s going to be the same the next day, it’s probably going to go down to the last five minutes and we just have to put our best foot forward and hope it’s enough.”