Keaney: 'If we stick to the plan, we've got every chance'

IFC final interview

When the Celt collared Ballyhaise manager Damien Keaney for a pre-final interview at Kingspan Breffni, it probably wasn't the best time. His home club, Killygarry, had moments earlier qualified for a first Senior Championship final in 51 years and there were scenes of jubilation among the red and black clad supporters around the stadium.

Keaney would have been forgiven for getting carried away but that is not his form. The former county player cuts a cool and collected figure on the sideline and he's no different when sitting in front of a dictaphone. Histrionics are not the personable Keaney's way but it was only fitting that the first question was about his home club, for whom he soldiered for many seasons.

“I'm a bit emotional here now. I obviously played a good few years with Killygarry and that was an amazing performance from the Killygarry lads, absolutely delighted for them and the management and the club and committee and everyone involved with Killygarry, that was a really committed and gutsy performance and they got what they deserved today, they really were the best team there,” he stated.

“To be fair to them, they lost those games last year by a point. As we know in sport, there is very little between winning and losing and a one-point defeat means you were very close. They got a win early on against Gowna this year and it really just set them up and it just got better and better and hopefully they can put in a really good performance in the final now.”

Keaney will naturally carry the same hope for Ballyhaise, who were well tested in the semi-final against an impressive, rejuvenated Cootehill Celtic.

“That was a tough game against Cootehill, they are a really good footballing team who work hard and move the ball well. I was delighted with that win because we went down early on and things were difficult and the lads kept their heads, kept playing and got there in the end.

“That was a good win for Ballyhaise because that's a good Cootehill team.”

Ballyhaise have put their best foot forward all year, starting with a top-three finish in Division 1 of the league.

“It's great to play at the highest level that you can. We used a lot of players in the league and we are probably quite lucky that our key players are with us and are not involved with county teams apart from a couple of lads. We had key players who were there throughout and it meant you could work on things with your players and then give opportunities to other guys.

“Yeah, they won games and played well in games, we were very happy with the league.”

What they weren't happy with was losing last year's final, by a point to Butlersbridge. Keaney watched that one up close as part of the management team and hopes Ballyhaise can learn from it.

“You always hope to win your games but it's on the day and Butlersbridge probably worked a tiny bit harder than Ballyhaise did in that game. We'd be hoping to change that, that we'd bring a little bit more steel to the performance this year, more work-rate, fast movement of the ball... That's something that we've been working on, that fellas can improve on in the likes of a final. That's where you really have to show it, in those big games; if you can do that, anything can happen.”

Does he have a settled team in mind, given the depth of the squad and the flux up to now?

“There's something like 38 or 40 players who have committed to Ballyhaise and that definitely brings problems but I think we've really pointed out that we are a team, we are a squad. There will be different games when different players are needed and players have to accept that. You'd love to play them all but you can't and you do what's best for the team.

“I think fellas are understanding that and understanding our position as well. But yeah, there are a lot of players who are more than capable of playing.”

One of those is marquee forward Kevin Tierney, who has carried Ballyhaise at times over the years but has been injured of late before coming off the bench last time out.

“Kevin has been unlucky with injury, he had a really good league campaign but he got a groin injury that he hasn't been able to shift properly. We got him in the last day, he's been training and, look, he'll definitely feature and hopefully he'll be able to show what he can show. Unfortunately he has missed out on quite a bit of training and he hasn't been able to put his best foot forward.”

Ballyhaise and Castlerahan have already met once in this competition.

“It was a wet day over in Lavey. It's always good to watch teams and watch players, no matter who you're playing, so it's no different for Castlerahan. We watched those players that day, we had video analysis after it and we looked at what went well and what didn't and we learn from every game, it doesn't matter what team it is.

“They have a lot of players who played a lot of senior football and won senior titles. They beat Cuchulainns on Friday night, they had a real never-say-die attitude and I think they'll be bringing the same to the game next week.

“It's going to be really difficult to get over the line, they're obviously a good team. But if we can stick to our plan and stick to what we've been doing, we've got every chance.”