Relief for Ballygiblin after difficult campaign ends with strong display in relegation playoff

Ballygiblin defeated Russell Rovers in the Co-op Superstores IAHC relegation playoff in Rathcormac on Saturday, confirming their status in the grade for 2027.

Ballygiblin won by 11 points, but it was a battle heading in to the final 10 minutes.

For manager Pat O’Brien, there was no hiding the emotion at full-time.

“Oh, pure relief. We’ve had a difficult championship. You know, we lost a few players, like Dean Barry, and you seen there today, we won Mark Keane back from Australia, who was a big loss to the club, but is a pure Ballygiblin man, through and through. So he did everything he could to get home this week to help the club and today just showed.

“I said all along: This team are too good to be in a relegation final. But that’s the hand you’re dealt, and you have to get on with it. Just really, really happy and relieved for the lads. 

They’re a good bunch of lads and if things were right in the first two rounds we might’ve been playing a quarter-final. And I’m just so relieved that we won the game.”

O’Brien praised the starters and substitutes.

"Great determination. They’ve all got the hurling, but they need to like getting in to that dirty ball, winning all the breaks, the battles. 

"I think we started getting top there midway through the second half. It was 1-7 to 0-9 for the first 15 minutes and then we just start taking over. 

"The subs that came in all played a part. A couple of lads were unlucky today, too, to find out they weren’t starting before the match. But they’re the calls we had to make and they got their heads right and they made a huge difference when they came in.”

Ballygiblin to the core

Joseph O’Sullivan was accurate on the frees for Ballygiblin, notching 1-07, including a perfectly taken penalty. His gaffer was full of praise for his efforts.

“Joe’s Ballygiblin through and through. Joe went off after four minutes last week in the football for Mitchelstown and I said, ‘Oh no, here we go again, another man down’.

“But Joe is just a different breed to everyone else. He’d carry his leg out in the pitch if he had to, to come and play for Ballygiblin, and I’m delighted for him.”

With their status confirmed for 2027, it’s important for Ballygiblin to learn from this year. 

“We can’t afford to be without too many players. You can’t afford to be without four or five forwards. Knowing that they’re still going to be intermediate next year is a big thing. You could slip down the grades fairly fast, like some teams are doing. So to win relegation is huge.”