'New energy' as Dessie Hutchinson hails Ballygunner management 

The Waterford kingpins face old rivals Sars of Cork next time out. 

POINT THE WAY: Dessie Hutchinson of Ballygunner during the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship quarter-final match against Na Piarsaigh at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Dessie Hutchinson has commended Ballygunner’s new management set-up for breathing new life into the playing group.

The Waterford captain is deeply grateful to former manager Darragh O’Sullivan for overseeing the greatest period in the club’s history that included the 2022 All-Ireland title, three consecutive Munster titles and six straight county championships.

Change has been good, though, in the form of O’Sullivan’s successor Jason Ryan and strength and conditioning coach Darragh Mulcahy.

Speaking about Ryan, Hutchinson said: “He's just come in, he hasn't tried to change anything major, he's kept us playing the way we've always played and tried to add a little bit more to us.

“We feel like we're really fit this year, not that we weren't fit before, but Darragh Mulcahy has come in with us as well and added a new dimension. Our training is a bit different and it's just new energy all over the place and that kind of gives everybody a lift too, which was needed.

“The boys have done an unbelievable job with us, but they were there for six or seven years, so that freshness of new people coming in, it adds new energy all through the club and the dressing room, so it's great.” 

Hutchinson is in agreement Ryan won’t have to say much in the dressing room over the next two weeks to ready Ballygunner for Sarsfields after last year’s surprise Munster final defeat.

“No, absolutely not. Look, it's going to be another massive challenge, they're Munster champions and they deserve to be Munster champions, we acknowledge that, but obviously you want to get another go at them because we were hurt after last year, and look it's going to be a brilliant game again and we're back down in Walsh Park.” 

Ballygunner should be the hungrier team on Sunday week but Hutchinson knows they have to demonstrate as much. “You can do all the video analysis and all the training in the world, but if you don't turn up on a Sunday with a huge work-rate and energy that won't get you far. So, look, I'm sure our management have been watching them in the background too and have their homework done.” 

In their 26 Munster SHC games since their dominance of Waterford commenced in 2014, Ballygunner have had 11 home games in Munster. Getting back to Walsh Park doesn’t happen as much as they like but they won’t complain after another heartening away win over Na Piarsaigh.

“I don't know what way it works or what, but we're always in a quarter-final and we're always away from home, so it's not easy,” said Hutchinson. “But days like this coming up on a bus to Limerick, it builds bond even more and it's brilliant.”