Eamonn Keating: Last year's heartbreak has driven Ballincollig back to the final

The hurt of last year's county final defeat has provided much of the motivation behind Ballincollig's return to the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC final.

Twelve months on from losing out to Ballinhassig, manager Eamonn Keating believes his side have matured, learned valuable lessons and earned another shot at promotion to the senior ranks as they prepare for Sunday's decider against Dungourney at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (2pm).

Rather than dwelling on the disappointment of 12 months ago, Ballincollig channelled it into a determination to get back to the same stage.

"After the final last year, we came together to try and get back to the final," says Keating.

"We have a lot of faith in this group. We feel they're a good age and there's a great bond there.

"At the beginning of the championship, every team involved feels they have a good opportunity of winning it.

"You could literally put a pin through it and pick out anyone. It's very competitive. There's very little between a lot of the teams and that's how all the championship groups and games have been.

"The team we're playing in the final, Dungourney, we met them in the semi-final last year and it was a good battle. We're expecting the same again. There'll be nothing in it."

Ballincollig's route back to the final has not been straightforward. Injuries have been a constant headache throughout the campaign and Keating admits the issue has stretched his squad to the limit.

"Absolutely, and we still have players out," he said.

"It's something you hear from other clubs as well. They've gone through the same thing. It's amazing the amount of injuries there have been this year for whatever reason.

"It's been challenging and it really does stretch you and test your squad."

Yet the adversity has also brought opportunities for younger players to impress. Danny Miskella’s four-point contribution in the semi-final against Carrigaline was one example, while Kevin O'Leary and others have stepped forward when called upon.

Keating pointed to the fact that Ballincollig have not been able to field the same starting 15 in any of their championship outings.

"We haven't had the same 15 starting in any of our games," he states.

"The three round-robin games were all different and all challenging in their own way. Every game is different and the final will be a different game as well.

"You just have to learn from the experience and, to be fair, all the lads have stepped up. They've all been outstanding."

A dramatic comeback victory over Carrigaline in the semi-final underlined the resilience within the group.

Trailing by eight points after 45 minutes, Ballincollig looked destined for elimination before producing a stirring finish to snatch victory.

Interestingly, Keating insists there was no sense of panic, even when the game appeared to be slipping away.

"I was asked that after the match," he says.

"Honestly and truly, there was no panic in the dressing room even at half-time.

"We made one or two positional changes. When you get to the business end of the championship, quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, you're going to be tested. Your character is going to be tested mentally and physically.

"We still had great faith in the lads. We were looking for that one break, a few scores, and we got them.

"We made a few changes off the bench and the bench definitely impacted. I think we finished very strongly."

The scenes at the final whistle illustrated what the result meant, not only to the players but to the wider club.

"Historically, you might know this yourself being a local, in the last 20 or 30 years we've probably been seen as a football club," he said.

"There are a lot of people who love their hurling in Ballincollig. When the footballers won the senior county in 2014 it gave the whole club a huge lift. If we can get over the line on Sunday, it would be a massive lift for hurling in the club and for the area."

There are encouraging signs for the future too. The Féile hurling success this year has strengthened belief that the club can establish itself at senior level if promotion is achieved.

"We've a lot of good young lads coming through. 

"The All-Ireland Féile success was a big one for the club and gave everyone a lift. We feel this group, along with some of the younger lads coming behind them, can compete at a higher level.

"The ambition and the dream is to be playing Senior A hurling. We feel we're good enough to be up there. Getting up there is the challenge."

Standing in Ballincollig's way are Dungourney, a battle-hardened outfit with significant experience of major championship occasions.

Keating expects a fierce contest and has huge respect for their opponents.

"They're a seasoned team," he states.

"They have a lot of good individual players and they've been very consistent over the last few years. They've been at the business end and they know what it's all about.

"They'll be difficult to beat and we're expecting a titanic battle."

But after all they have endured over the past 12 months, Ballincollig are determined to seize their opportunity.

"We believe in this group.

"We believe in these young men. They're great guys.

"We believe we can do it. We're hoping we can do it. It would be a huge boost for hurling in the club."