Brady hopes experience of last year wll stand to Ballyhaise

IFC final preview

When Ballyhaise won the Intermediate Championship in 2015, remarkably, Eamonn Brady played in goals and his son, David, played in the forwards. Eamonn hung up the boots thereafter but seven years on, David captains the team into another final and he is joined by his brother Michael and cousin Killian.

All three have enjoyed very good seasons in the green and yellow. Michael, in particular, has really stepped up his game and is now the leading scorer on the team while David has been outstanding.

“If you look at teams down through the years, there probably is that thing of brothers playing well together on the same team,” David said this week.

“It’s just nice to be able to go out and play with him, I suppose I was lucky enough to play with Dad as well so I couldn’t really ask for much more. Mick has really stepped up. There was pressure, Stephen Smith was there for so long and was so good on the frees for us, it was nearly guaranteed if we got a free inside 40 metres that ‘Goose’ was going to score it.

“Mick has stepped up and taken on that mantle, I don’t think he’s felt any pressure so long may it continue.

“Killian had a great Minor Championship last year, we got a few players from that team who stepped up. Fiachra Dowd as well, it’s the likes of those lads who are pushing on the older players for places. We are in a Division 2 final and had a few county U17s again this year and that’s huge for the club and testament to the work being done at underage.”

Speaking of last year brings back thoughts of Ballyhaise’s one-point IFC final loss to neighbours Butlersbridge. It was one that got away.

“Last year we probably felt that we didn’t do ourselves justice in the final. Padraig Moore was away, Gary O’Rourke had a couple of bad enough injuries and on the day we just didn’t perform.

“In fairness to the ’Bridge they were deserving winners but we probably felt we let ourselves down on the day. We started at the bottom of the mountain at the start of this year but Damien and Ciaran (Owens) came on board and just kind of said we’d forget about last year and see what we could build for this year.

“We had a good run in the league and got a few good wins and that kind of boosted the confidence and here we are now, looking forward to another final, so it’s worked out alright I suppose.”

That league campaign certainly made onlookers sit up and take notice; there was something different about Ballyhaise.

“I suppose, in other years we probably started slow and struggled to get lads out at the start of the year. This year, there was a big effort put in, Ciaran and Damien kind of set the tone early and said if you’re not training, you won’t be playing and that kind of put pressure on lads to come back.

“We got a few good wins in the league, we beat Crosserkiugh, Gowna and Killygarry so that was a massive confidence boost to us. We blooded a few new young players as well like Jack Maguire and Cormac Clarke and a few more young lads got good experience in Division 1 so it’s really helped the group. Teams can under-estimate the importance of the league but this year we put a big effort in and hopefully we will reap the rewards now.”

Brady lined out at centre-back last year but has had a different role in 2022. In a side which has had 15 different scorers, he has scored goals in five matches, generally playing midfield but taking stints on the edge of the square.

“We have a big spread of scores. Aodhagan Watters came up from full-back against Cornafean and scored a goal, Aaron Watson has chipped in with a few points, Mick and Padraig Moore, we have had a good spread across the field and that’s important the deeper you go into the championship.

“I suppose the way we have been setting up this year has given me the freedom to get forward and get on the scoresheet. My midfield partner Eoin Clarke does a lot of the donkey work and makes my job a lot easier.

“Damien had given me the freedom to get forward and, yeah, I really am enjoying it. Keeping injury free is the main thing and enjoying my football.”

Asked how the experience of last season might impact this weekend, Brady said he views it as a positive.

“I definitely think we learned a lot from last year. People might say Ballyhaise always get to finals and lose them but we’re taking the positives that we’ve been getting there every year and we came through a few tough group games and a tough quarter-final and semi-final.

“A lot of the younger lads, Eoin Clarke and Brían O’Rourke, they are now coming into this game with the experience of last year.

“On the other end of it, we have lads on the bench like Sean McCormack and Louis Lyons who have loads of experience and they’re trying to pass it on to the younger lads so we have a good balance in the squad at the moment. That’s definitely a positive.”

So is the injury situation, he confirmed.

“I think we have a clean bill of health. Kevin Tierney had been struggling at the start of the championship but he has put in serious work and got himself back into serious shape and is pushing hard in training. I think we are all good on that front but we are looking at the fact that we blooded so many young players in the league, it’s about the panel. It’s not one to 15, it’s not even one to 20, we’ve 45-odd lads at training.

“Damien might tell you it’s too many some evenings but it’s great to have that competition for places.

“It's looking good on the injury front so hopefully it can all come together this weekend.”

If Ballyhaise can get over the line, a few sadly missed members will be looking down with a smile.

“What would it mean? It would be extra special this year as a club, on the field it has been a very successful year with the U17s, camogie and the ladies doing well too. Off the field, we have had some losses in the community this year.

“Two that come to mind that were involved in the senior team in the last few years in Mick Moran and Tom Donohoe.

“I know the work they put into the club over the years was colossal and the players really appreciate everything they’ve done for us over the years. That’s an extra incentive for us this weekend and hopefully we can get over the line for them, their families and the whole community.”