Eddie Dwyer optimistic as Ballinakill eye Premier Intermediate Hurling title

Ballinakill and Borris-Kilcotton are set to face off in the Premier Intermediate Hurling final this weekend, with both teams already securing promotion to the Senior Hurling Championship for 2025. However, there’s still plenty on the line: the county title and a chance to represent Laois in the Leinster Club Championship. Eddie Dwyer of Ballinakill shared his thoughts on the upcoming final and what it means for the team and community.

Keep an eye on the Leinster Express/ Laois Live website and social medias across the week as we bring you interviews from the players competing in the SHC and PIHC County finals.

Reflecting on their journey this year, Dwyer acknowledged how significant it is to be competing in a county final, especially after falling short last year. Despite achieving their primary goal of promotion back to Senior, the team is not resting on their laurels. The final still holds great importance, and Dwyer is eager to seize the opportunity to lift silverware. 

“It’s not too often that county finals come around, so we won't be taking it for granted anyway. Although we are going up to Senior, which was objective number one for this year after not being successful last year against a very good Ballyfin team, getting back to Senior was one of the main goals this year. But like I said, county finals are hard to come by, so we'll be fully focused on trying to get over the line against what looks like a very strong Borris team. We’ll be giving it everything anyway.”

When asked if Ballinakill is ready to compete at Senior level, Dwyer expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities despite the challenges posed by being a small club. With several young players already making their mark alongside experienced figures like himself and Podge Lawlor, Dwyer believes they have what it takes to thrive at the higher level.

“I certainly think so, we definitely have the players. One area we do lack is just numbers in the field as we're a small club. I think we had three or four with the under-20s last year and then another three with the senior county team, which shows you the strength and depth. But that also contributes to low numbers in the field, which is something we've struggled with. The players and the calibre of players and the youth as well are very important.

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We have a very young team apart from a couple of lads like myself or Podge Lawlor, who has a lot of experience. Outside of that, we're looking at a lot of under-20s and 21-year-olds who are well capable of hurling and competing at Senior level. I definitely think we can make the step up and are ready to make that step up. Number one, I suppose, is to stay up there, and number two is to compete up there.”

Dwyer also highlighted the importance of balancing youth and experience within the team. While the squad is predominantly young, he emphasised how crucial it is to have seasoned players who can guide and inspire the next generation. This blend, he believes, will be key to their success as they return to the Senior Championship. 

“It's important to have a nice mix. We probably don't have as much of a mix as we'd like. It's a lot of very young versus, not to say very old, but plenty of experience there. But to have that mix is good as we have experience in the likes of Podge Lawlor, Dan Bergin, Math Hamm in goals, and Paul Simms, who is still young but has plenty of experience. So that mix is important, and it brings the young players on and gives them someone to look up to. They've seen we’ve competed at Senior level, so they need to make the step up now.”

Looking ahead to the final, Dwyer is well aware of the formidable challenge posed by Borris-Kilcotton. He acknowledged their quality across the pitch and highlighted their strong attacking lineup as a key area Ballinakill will need to address if they are to secure the win.

“Borris are very, very strong. They shouldn't be in this grade and never should have gone down, they know that themselves. They probably just had a bad run of luck last year and ended up going down, playing against The Harps in a relegation final, who we know from experience are very difficult to beat in that as they sent us down in 2022. Borris are very strong, we make no qualms about how up against it we are, so we just have to give it our best shot. Where it’ll be won or lost, they’re very strong in attack, there’s no denying their level of quality there: PJ Scully, Aaron Dunphy, and Neil Foyle. They're strong all over the pitch but particularly up front. We need to try and maybe man-mark some of those guys or something like that, but we're definitely up against it.”

Dwyer spoke passionately about what winning the final would mean for the local community. For a small village like Ballinakill, the support of the community is the heartbeat of the club, and the prospect of lifting a county title has generated immense excitement. The flags are out, and the village is rallying behind their team as they look to bring glory back home. 

“It’d be massive for the playschool and primary school. They'll all have their flags up and they'll be cheering us on the day. Like I said, county finals don't come around too often, so when they do, it's important to enjoy the build-up and embrace the occasion. GAA is all about the community and the youth.”

The Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final takes place on Saturday, October 5 from 7pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park.