Former Waterford manager Michael Ryan has issued a strong rallying call for the people of the county to get behind Ballygunner.
The Gunners are on the cusp of a fourth consecutive Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship crown - as they swatted aside Loughmore-Castleiney of Tipperary by 1-26 to 1-16 at Walsh Park yesterday.
It was their 11th successive provincial victory - just weeks on from securing their 11th successive Waterford Senior Hurling Championship title.
Former Waterford stars Pauric Mahony and Stephen O'Keeffe have led the way for the Gunners this season - and Ryan is not a fan of some of the comments that have been aimed in their direction.
"I don't see them being beaten in Munster and maybe they might go all the way. To me, they're the in-form team in the country. They're the best panel of players, the best structure. They're nicely rested now and people give out about Ballygunner's contribution to Waterford. I just can't understand that because as far as I can see, every Ballygunner player that has been called in to the Waterford set-up has done so. They haven't all been selected when they came in, but they've all worked hard for Waterford. I know Stephen O'Keeffe, people give out about him as well, but he gave nine years ago for Waterford. What more can a man do? Ballygunner's contribution to Waterford and the county team has been top-notch and I wouldn't listen to anybody complaining about their attitude towards the county teams."
3 November 2019; Stephen O'Keeffe, left, and Pauric Mahony of Ballygunner after the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Quarter-Final match between Sixmilebridge and Ballygunner at Sixmilebridge in Clare. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Ryan says Ballygunner's success should be celebrated, rather than become subject to begrudgery.
"The message going out here from Walsh Park today is clear - if any team has ambitions of winning a Munster or All-Ireland title this year - they're going to have to beat Ballygunner along the way. Some of the big names are gone - but that doesn't worry them, they do what they do so well. They're a formidable side, they're getting better as they go along. They're now into the groove and I'm sure they'll relish the prospect of another Munster final."
"We need to recognise the fact that they are on an 11-game winning run in Munster", said Ryan. "If that was Thurles Sarsfields or Na Piarsaigh - people would be raving about it. This is our team. These are our champions here in Ballygunner. That's what they're doing every day that they go out - they do it because they prepare properly, it's a wonderful panel full of modest guys - they're looking at the next victim down the road - and they never get carried away and they keep going and going and going. They're a pleasure to watch. If you want to watch hurling the way it should be played - watch Ballygunner."
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