'For the honour of the little parish ...'

This web site may or may not be among ‘the people in the media with a ‘down’ on Waterford hurling and certain individuals…’ referred to by Waterford and Ballygunner stalwart, Paul Flynn, in the emotional aftermath of Semple Stadium on Sunday, writes An Fear Rua…

Either way, today An Fear Rua unequivocally salutes the black-and-red of Ballygunner as AIB Munster Club Hurling champions and, in particular, the same Paul Flynn. Flynn’s sheer relief at winning a significant Munster senior hurling championship final was expressed in his heartfelt comment ‘It’s great to be part of a winning team at long last!’ It’s the ‘at long last' that’s the real give-away there.

In the past, we have never doubted Flynn’s exceptional talent – when he is of a mind to display it – but we have questioned his temperament for the big occasion and, in particular, his ability to respond to a challenge in adversity. Yesterday, at Semple Stadium, he dispelled all those doubts and showed that where there’s skill, there’s character as well. It’s not so much his personal tally of 1-9, though that in itself was a major boost to Ballygunner’s prospects. It is more the way in which most of that 1-9 was achieved: cool, long range points often delivered under pressure. Flynn's character was shown, when towards the end, he was toppled and surrounded by no fewer than four angry Cork men. Having then been booked, unjustly by referee Pat O'Connor, he promptly turned round, shot a fine goal and then another long-range point. On another day, his reaction might well have been different.

Flynn speculated afterwards that ‘It’s a turning point for Waterford hurling’ and he paid deserved tribute to Ballygunner’s halfbacks and midfields as the architects of this historic victory. Appropriate, then, that the real insight into the Ballygunner mind on the day comes from Stephen Frampton: ‘On the way up, we knew we were going to win today … We had the ‘bottle’ and it showed all the way…’ This from a Ballygunner team once frozen with such pre-match nerves that they threw away the equivalent finals in ’96 and ’99. Older followers of Waterford hurling teams will ruefully shake their heads in amazement at the sheer effrontery of this confidence … and against a Cork team as well! Verily, as the great Robert Zimmermann himself once sang, ‘For the times they are a-changin’…’

One of the many heart-warming sights on a great day was the Ballygunner captain, Billy O’Sullivan, waiting to receive the trophy with a piece of cardboard from a ‘Sustain’ cereal package stuck in the top of his shorts. Soon, after receiving the trophy, it became clear that this little piece of cardboard contained Billy’s script for the day and he proceeded to read from it while juggling the trophy. A case, maybe, of having an AIB trophy in one hand and a cereal box in the other! Wags from other counties might say this showed how out of practice Waterford captains are in making victory speeches. But, no, what it really shows is Ballygunner’s level of preparation and their will to get everything right on the day. . It was a moving and heartfelt speech and entirely appropriate for the day that was in it. Billy thanked everyone involved – team manager and selectors, supporters, even down to Liam Griffin and the Ballygunner Ladies’ Committee! With formidable backing like that, sure the Rockies had no chance

The late Jimmy McGinn NT, God rest his noble soul, must have smiled his trademark little smile above in the Valhalla of hurling men when the news came through. Not more than fifty years ago, Jimmy came to what was then the tiny, rural parish of Ballygunner, outside Waterford City, as a ‘rookie’ teacher. Though himself a Dundalkman – hardly a bastion of hurling lore – he started the young kids in the school into the hurling, progressed them on through the Waterford Street Leagues, into a fully-fledged club and thus laid the seeds that have blossomed into Sunday’s victory.

The Ballygunner men and women are entitled to savour this victory long and hard and AFR has no doubt Orpen’s pub and Kennedy’s of Callaghan will see many’s the celebration over the coming weeks. Many down Déise way will be hoping that now that one of their leading teams has finally tasted the heady wine of Munster victory in a serious competition, their appetites will be whetted for more, and that this will feed into success at county level next year. A word of caution, though. As Éire Óg of Carlow and even Crossmaglen Rangers, for example, showed some years ago, success at AIB Club level doesn’t always automatically translate into success at county level.

However, this Ballygunner team are worthy Munster champions, having duly despatched strong county champions from Clare, Tipperary and Cork. Rather than resting on their laurels, though, they should see this job as only half done. It will not be finished until Saint Patrick’s Day 2002 when Billy O’Sullivan steps forward, in the familiar Dennis-the-Menace colours, to accept the AIB All-Ireland trophy. When that happens, we’d say Billy will have no problems remembering who to thank …

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