Joining Cork senior panel has improved Ballinhassig's Darragh O'Sullivan: 'I'm loving my hurling right now'

Ballinhassig know all about the fine margins in the marvellous and unpredictability of the Cork PIHC.

The Blues have been stuck at this level since demotion from the top grade in 2013. They have been constantly knocking on the door, but as of yet, they haven’t been able to burst through.

On Saturday, they take on Cloyne in the semi-final in Ovens with throw-in at 7.30pm. It’s Ballinhassig’s first time back in the last four since a narrow loss to the eventual winners Inniscarra in 2022.

Ballinhassig have won this grade twice, in 2005 and 2012.

Darragh O'Sullivan is well aware of the importance of this weekend.

“It’s great for Ballinhassig to be in a county semi-final,” the Cork senior hurling panellist says to The Echo.

“What’s going on down the club both on the field and off the field, there’s progression there, so it’s great to see."

The championship season so far has been up and down for Ballinhassig. It’s just all about being consistent. Now is the time for them to do it.

“The first day out against Ballincollig, I suppose we came off the pitch that day with a great win, we’ve had great battles with them over the years,” the Blues captain said.

“After that, we have picked up quite a number of injuries. But, like that, it was the next fella up in our squad. It kind of showed a great team bond once these fellas fell, that the next fella up was always pushing on the team.

“We kind of fell flat against Castlemartyr. But then as well, you can look back at that game, how we finished against them was strong and we were unlucky not to have picked up a win or a draw.

“We kind of took that finish into our Kilworth game and that kind of drove us on. We got the last few points to win by a point. That Castlemartyr loss was a big moment for us. We have really been tuned in since then.

“Those injuries might have knocked down another squad. But for us, it only drove us on, so it was great.” 

Darragh has Ballinhassig blood firmly running through his veins. His grandfather, John O'Sullivan Sr, is pretty much known as ‘Mr Ballinhassig’, and Darragh’s father, John O'Sullivan Jr, is the manager of the hurling team.

Getting the Blues back up to senior hurling is the target when you put on the Ballinhassig jersey.

“I have been playing adult hurling for a few years and it has been a semi-final, scoring difference in the group stage, a quarter-final, so you’re always knocking,” Darragh states.

“It’s fine margins. I’d say, this grade is the toughest grade of them all because every team can win it whether you’re seed number 12 or seed number 1. It’s a brilliant competition.

“We know what it would mean for Ballinhassig if we did go all the way. I know how much my father is putting into it. It’s always a good relationship between me and my father. He has been coaching myself and Adam since we were very young.

“It’s great to have men on the line that have great knowledge. Like, sure, you’ve got my father, John Paul Griffin and Michael Keohane. Three great Ballinhassig men. They all played for years and they’re bringing their knowledge through.

“But, like I said, at home with the father, it’s all kept on the pitch anyway, we don’t bring it home with us. We have a bit of downtime.” 

Ballinhassig come into Saturday’s semi-final contest with Cloyne having not played competitively in a month. The reward for going direct. On the other hand, Cloyne came through a tough encounter with Valley Rovers at the quarter-final stage by a point, 1-18 to 0-20.

For the Carrigdhoun men, having that extended break was beneficial according to Darragh.

“With our injuries, having that four-week gap kind of helped us massively. Now, in that gap, we’ve played A versus B games and we trained as hard as we possibly could.

“Our training sessions have been excellent. We were only saying it in training the other day, we might have won one lost one, won one lost one, that kind of thing over the last few years.

“But, now, we’re trying to break this trend against Cloyne and back up the win over Kilworth. We know how tough this game will be.

“I have never played Cloyne myself, but I can remember watching them play when I was growing up, they are an intimidating outfit with their name and history.

“For us, we’re just going to focus on ourselves, player by player, so it’s no fear for us.” 

O’Sullivan is arguably playing his best hurling this year despite a couple of injury problems. He has two All-Ireland medals in his back pocket with the Cork minors in 2021 and the Cork U20s two years later. He got the call up to the Cork senior hurling panel for the inter-county campaign just gone.

“I’m loving my hurling right now. I am continuing to grow. This year being in with the Cork senior hurlers, it was excellent. It has completely driven me on as a player and as a person.

“Just getting to know other people, playing with fellas that are older than you that are trying to juggle their jobs, their lifestyles, everything. This has kind of helped me grow as well.

“Myself and Patrick Collins, we’re bringing what we’ve learned back to Ballinhassig.

“I’m delighted with Ben O’Connor’s appointment as Cork manager. Sure, I was with him for two years when I was with the Cork U20s.

“It’s a clean slate for everyone. It’s nice for everyone to have fresh wheels there. I can’t wait for the challenge and what’s going to come with that.”