“Everyone wrote us off, but we’ll celebrate it really well”

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Co. Senior Hurling Championship Final Reaction - Dessie Hutchinson

Dessie Hutchinson felt that Ballygunner didn’t get the respect they deserved in the build-up to Sunday’s county final. After winning his sixth title in as many seasons, the number ten got swarmed by jubilant supporters in the middle of the pitch.

“It’s absolutely unreal. Honestly, this is the sweetest one yet for us. Everyone, for some reason, wrote us off this week. All the talk was about Abbeyside, how they going to end this and how they were going to beat us. When you do that to us, it’s a dangerous game. We’re just so happy to be able to come out on top here today. It was a really, really tough game. We said it at half time: ‘this is the hardest game we’ve been in for a couple of years.’ The scoreboard mightn’t have shown that. Our stats were through the roof and that’s exactly what we wanted today.”

SWEET VICTORY

Did anything in particular rile them up during the week? “Just a few comments, we won’t go into it, maybe coming from this side of the county. Look, what better place to do it in. Fraher Field, a packed ground, where 90 per cent of the people are against you. It’s unbelievable.”

The Gunners relished the fact that the game was played on Abbeyside’s doorstep. “We did and look at the big crowd that it brought in as well. At the same time, I don’t know why it’s not in Walsh Park, it’s the county ground, it’s been done up. Look, it’s unreal to come up here to a massive crowd and we’ll celebrate it really well.”

Hutchinson hunted a goal throughout the first half. Laurence Power denied him before he finally raised a green flag. The Abbeyside netminder expected Dessie to go far post but the Gunners front man went to the near instead. His third county final goal.

“Pauric did unbelievable work in a ruck to get the ball out to me. I ended up one on one with my man. When that opportunity arises, you have to go at him. It was just a good finish into the ground. Delighted to get it because I missed a couple before that.”

HARD WORKING

Sunday’s tally of 1-4 brings him up to 3-25 in six final appearances. He partnered Kevin Mahony in a two man inside line. They created oceans of space in front of the Abbeyside posts. “He works so hard. If Kevin came out here today and didn’t score, he would still have an impact on the game. That’s what he does. He’s such a hard worker and he’s a dream to play with inside. He’s only getting better and better.”

While Dessie moved onto six county medals, Shane O’Sullivan now boasts fourteen. The veteran defender missed the semi-final through suspension so Hutchinson and company wanted to reach the decider for their team mate.

“To give him another opportunity to play in a county final, that was a real driving factor for us last week. Delighted for him.”