Hutchinson: Ballygunner thriving on something special
Another All-Ireland club title for Ballygunner, and Dessie Hutchinson marvels at what he sees as a special club, where winning another senior crown is "infectious".
The Waterford city outfit were too good for Loughrea in Sunday's decider at Croke Park, a success that yielded a second All-Ireland crown to follow on from the dramatic nature of their maiden win against Ballyhale Shamrocks in 2022.
For Hutchinson, who in a previous career tried his luck at a different code when lining out for Brighton and subsequently Waterford FC, adding another All-Ireland medal to his CV heightens even more the gratitude he feels towards Ballygunner.
"It is a really special club," he told Inside Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
"I don't think people see the insights that we do in the club. I would love someone to come in and watch us on a monthly basis and look at what we do within our squad.
"They will then start to understand why we are so successful.
"There is a really good structure within the club and so much credit has to go the volunteers and the coaches of the underage teams who get involved at such an early age.
"All these young teams are getting to witness us winning county championships and Munster clubs and some have seen us win an All-Ireland in '22.
From left - Peter Hogan, Pauric Mahony and Hutchinson after their Croke Park triumph
"That is infectious for any club to watch their senior team win big trophies. Eventually then young lads will want to step in to those big boots."
Those with a passing knowledge of the club hurling scene may be surprised that Ballygunner have just the two All-Irelands to their name.
Dominance in the Deíse championship and to some degree in Munster an indicator that the Tommy Moore Cup should have enjoyed greater residence by the banks of the Suir.
For Hutchinson, such a view ignores the fact that the championship is quite a competitive beast.
"I don't think the media have given the teams that beat us enough credit in recent years," he remarked.
"You had Sarsfields last year winning the Munster club, before that we lost to Thomas's and Ballyhale.
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"We've lost some big games and it's the hurt of losing those big games that keeps driving us to go on and to get to where we were yesterday.
"People have said we haven't got enough out of what the team can be but you have to give credit to those teams.
"We were hurting so much after last year's Munster Championship because we felt we were in a good place. We didn't perform.
"We needed to come back and right the wrongs. New management came in and gave us new energy and they have been fantastic.
Jason Ryan is the new man at the helm.
The former Wexford and Kildare football manager's arrival was not seen as the spark to light a new flame amongst some in the county, with the 29-year-old forward saying: "When Jason came into us and a lot of people said: 'happy days, we're going to catch Ballygunner now. We used that as well.
"I'm so happy for him, for all the work he has put in, it's fantastic."
