Ballygunner’s Peter Hogan says Sunday’s Waterford Senior Hurling Championship final is a major occasion for the club, despite the champions’ remarkable experience of playing on the county final stage.
Ballygunner will face Fourmilewater at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Sunday afternoon, with throw-in at 2.30 pm.
The defending champions are bidding for a 13th consecutive Waterford senior hurling title, while Fourmilewater are appearing in their first-ever senior county final.
Hogan, who has plenty of experience of playing in county finals with Ballygunner, says the occasion still brings an extra level of excitement.
“It’s never a normal game, I suppose. A county final is a massive occasion,” he said.
“We prepare like it’s a normal game. We go through our same kind of procedure, but at the end of the day, it is a bigger occasion for the club and for us as a team.
“There is that extra bit of excitement around, but as a player you’re trying to block some of it out and just focus on the game itself.”
Fourmilewater challenge
Fourmilewater have been one of the standout teams in this year’s championship and remain unbeaten heading into Sunday’s final.
They secured their place in the decider with victory over Roanmore in their semi-final, while Ballygunner overcame De La Salle.
Hogan says Ballygunner are fully aware of the quality Fourmilewater possess and expects a difficult challenge from the BallyMac side.
“Just from watching Fourmilewater all year, you can see their quality and their intensity and their hard work,” he said.
“They’ve just earned their place in the final. They’re unbeaten all year, and there seems to be an extra edge to them this year.
“We know it’s going to be a massive challenge and we know they’re going to be hungry, so we have to try and match that.”
Hogan also says Ballygunner are well aware of many of the Fourmilewater players through their involvement with Waterford at different age grades.
“There’s not too many of them that haven’t been on a county panel, so we’re well aware of their threat and their quality all around the field,” he said.
Young players making an impact
Ballygunner have continued to introduce young players into their senior team during their period of dominance.
Jake Foley, Conor Tobin, Eoin Cuddihy and Aaron O’Neill have all made an impact in recent championships, with the club continuing to produce players capable of stepping into the senior team.
Hogan believes that competition within the panel has played a major role in keeping standards high.
“It’s a credit to the young lads. They’re driving us all on,” he said.
He also praised the performances of Eoin, Conor and Jake in last weekend’s semi-final.
“There’s 30-plus players there training every night, pushing the starting team, pushing the subs, so it really is the collective effort,” Hogan added.
“The effort of one to 30-plus and the management team really makes the difference, and everyone is striving to be better every night we go out on the field.”
Conditions at Fraher Field
The condition of the pitch and how the ball behaves could also play a role on Sunday.
The dry weather has resulted in hard and fast surfaces across the county, with the unusual bounce of the ball evident during Fourmilewater’s semi-final victory over Roanmore.
Hogan says Ballygunner have been able to prepare for those conditions throughout the summer.
“It takes a bit of adjusting,” he said.
“A lot of club fields at the moment are rock solid as well, so you’re kind of training every week on that bouncy pitch.”
He also paid tribute to the work being done to maintain Walsh Park, where Ballygunner have played during the championship.
“It’s a credit to everyone in Walsh Park. The condition it’s in all summer, it’s absolutely unreal to see.”
Focus remains on the next game
Ballygunner are seeking to extend an extraordinary run of success in Waterford championship hurling.
The club has gone more than 70 games without losing a championship knockout match, while Sunday’s final allows them to claim a 13th consecutive county title.
Hogan says, however, that the players don’t allow the numbers or outside discussion to become a distraction.
“You don’t really hear it as a player. You try and block out any outside noise,” he said.
He also pointed to the support Ballygunner receive from across Waterford when they progress to Munster and All-Ireland competitions.
“We try and stay grounded and stay focused on the next game in hand,” Hogan added.
“I think we get massive support, especially the last couple of years when we’ve got out of Waterford. I think we’ve got massive support from outside the club.”
Sunday’s final promises to be a historic occasion for both clubs.
Fourmilewater are chasing their first Waterford senior hurling title during their centenary year, while Ballygunner are looking to add another chapter to their remarkable run of county championship success.
WLR’s live coverage begins at 2.15 pm, with Kieran O’Connor and former Waterford Hurler of the Year and All-Star Dan Shanahan on commentary, thanks to George Corbett Skoda.
Sport on WLR is brought to you by Auto Boland Ford.
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