Ballygunner manager Jason Ryan admitted his relief after his side edged past a spirited De La Salle outfit in a tense encounter, crediting experience and composure for seeing them over the line.
“De La Salle are very good. They played very, very well,” Ryan said post-match. “We got a little bit of luck and the composure that comes with experience. The boys showed it and took some good scores at the end. So we’re relieved, delighted, and looking forward to next week.”
Ryan was quick to push back on suggestions that Ballygunner’s challengers in Waterford are failing to reach the standard. He praised the competitiveness across the county:
“In fairness, the standard at Roanmore and Mount Sion is very high as well, and we all saw how unfortunate Clonea and Fourmilewater were not to win games. There’s plenty of clubs working very, very hard and improving all the time in senior hurling.”
One of the biggest boosts for Ballygunner came from the bench, with the experienced Pauric Mahony making a huge impact, scoring five points and setting up two goals. Ryan lauded his contribution:
“Terrific vision and awareness. Just delighted to have him back on the field. He’s worked unbelievably hard to get there and deserves that credit. He’s done serious things in a Ballygunner and Waterford jersey for the last 15 or 20 years – it’s unreal.”
Ryan also highlighted the influence of midfielder Paddy Leavey, whose long-range scores proved vital during a difficult spell in the second half.
“Even the score he got from distance – I think he got two points – they came at a really key time. Their structure was very good and we couldn’t get balls through. Paddy’s scores were a massive help to us.”
Despite the win, the Ballygunner boss admitted there is plenty of room for improvement, pointing to the 13 wides his side hit.
“When you’re on the sideline you can get caught in the emotion of the game, so we’ll sit down, watch it back, and be a bit more objective. There are lots of things to work on.”
With Ballygunner’s average winning margin close to 20 points so far this campaign, Ryan welcomed the test that De La Salle provided.
“It’s a really good competitive game for us and we know we’ve lots and lots of work still to do,” he said.
For Ryan, overcoming such a stern challenge is also about belief and dealing with the pressure that comes with Ballygunner’s dominance in recent years.
“There’s a fair mountain to climb there. It’s brilliant for the lads, great for their belief, and it keeps our season going. There’s a certain amount of pressure every time you play for Ballygunner due to the amount of games they’ve won. That pressure can build, but they dealt with it very well today under serious pressure.”
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