“Trying to make the most of the last couple of years”
Ballygunner's Pauric Mahony in action against Passage.
Twelve county medals, four Munster clubs and an All-Ireland but Ballygunner sharpshooter Pauric Mahony still wants to win more in whatever remains of his hurling career.
“Absolutely. You only have a short span that you’re there. A lot of us are getting old now, moving on and different things going on in our lives. Definitely trying to make the most of the last couple of years. When you’re winning, it makes it easier to keep going.”
St Thomas’ dashed their dreams of a second All Ireland title in a Christmas cracker last December. It had extra time, penalties, the lot. That Saturday night in Portlaoise that still pains Pauric. “Of course it does. Every defeat that we’ve had over the last ten years hurts greatly. You have to learn from it and come back. Being able to switch off over the winter was nice. Do a few different things, play a few other sports and things like that! We were raring to go again when we came back training. The lads don’t be flogging us in January or February. They gave us a good four or five months off to recharge the batteries.”
Mahony dabbled in other codes during those down months. “The Woodlands opened up a couple of Padel courts so I played a bit of that! I like a bit of golf as well.” The 32 year old retired from inter county activity in early 2023. Ballygunner have been the beneficiaries. He remains their top marksman ahead of Sunday’s county final with 1-37 from four starts including 0-13 last time out. The rhythm of the club season clearly suits him.
“It’s great; these are the days you want to be playing. There’s a good crew of us up in the pitch since we went back in mid-May. You have a longer break so it’s really three or four months when you need to be at your peak. You’re not going all year round so there’s a better balance to your life anyway.”
Mahony was in the wars last Sunday against Passage as he needed treatment for a gash to the head at the end of the first half. The neighbours made it hot and heavy.
“Everything that we expected. Passage have been a different outfit this year. We played them in one of the first rounds of the league and we knew straight away that they were on a different journey this year with their team. We were well prepared; we knew what was coming. They gave it tough, hard, fair and physical.”
The Gunners only went in four points ahead after playing with a strong wind. “There were positives in that first half as well. We just said ‘we have to stick to our gameplan and stick to our principles.’ Our work rate probably needed to be upped from that first half. I think we got that pretty spot on.”
The number eleven is preparing for his fifteenth county final. He has scored an astronomical five goals and 103 points in the previous fourteen. Thirteen points was his tally in a comfortable win over Abbeyside back in 2018. The Villagers are edging closer however and troubled the Gunners in the first round of the 2023 championship.
“We know what they’re going to bring. They’ve gone up another couple of levels this year. They’ve a nice mix of youth and experience. We’re going to recharge, get the bodies as right as possible over the next seven days and be raring to go for next weekend.”
Pauric Mahony 1-37
Kevin Mahony 3-9
Cormac Power 1-6
Patrick Fitzgerald 0-9
Conor Tobin 2-2
Dessie Hutchinson 0-8
Aaron O’Neill 1-1
Conor Sheahan 0-4
Paddy Leavey 0-3
Ian Kenny 0-1
Jake Foley 0-1
Peter Hogan 0-1
Ronan Power 0-1
Billy O’Keeffe 0-1
