‘I'm just very proud of the lads and everybody involved’ - Hyland

CLOUGH/Ballacolla manager Willie Hyland was beaming with pride after his side's triumph in the Laois Senior Hurling Championship final on Sunday.

Reflecting on the game, Hyland acknowledged it was a tale of two halves, heavily influenced by the strong wind that played a major role in both teams' performances.

"It was a game of two halves really; there was a strong wind there. Similar to the semi-final, we were down by four points at halftime, but we didn't panic. We knew there was a strong breeze in the second half. We really pushed up on Rathdowney/Errill, and they struggled maybe to get possession from their own puck outs. We had some outstanding displays all over. Things weren't going well for some lads in the first half, but they turned it around at half-time. I'm just very proud of the lads and everybody involved,” Hyland said.

He admitted that the swirling wind made conditions difficult, particularly in the first half, where some early attempts didn't quite come off for Clough/Ballacolla. However, the second-half turnaround showcased the character and resilience within his squad.

"You saw the wind there; it was serious, and a couple of our shots in the first half didn't come off. In the second half, it was blowing towards the corner as well, so it was hard. Some of our lads were giving out; we were shooting wides, but at the same time, it was very hard with a swirling wind there. It was an unbelievable second half from our lads. How many times have we done that now? There's great character in this group, and it's unreal.” Hyland also reflected on the challenges faced last year, attributing the team's struggles to a lack of focus and commitment. He made it clear that standards had to be raised, using man of the match Picky Maher as an example of the kind of dedication required to succeed.

"The lads got lax last year. We had that chat with them at the start of the year. There were two holidays being taken, maybe three in some cases. I think Picky (Stephen Maher) had three holidays last year. We've got him down to one this year, and you see what he did. The lads just started taking shortcuts, and it wasn't good enough. We've got standards in place, and the lads probably fell short last year. You have to work for these things; they're not handed to you like that, but they're an amazing group of players.” Despite the pressure of being in his first year as manager, Hyland praised the collective effort that underpinned the team’s success, crediting the people around him for their unwavering support. He also highlighted the community spirit that played a pivotal role throughout the year.

"Just get good people around you. I've got a good team around me; Mick and Shane are unbelievable with me. We don't have a backroom team, but we have loads of volunteers helping out. Other volunteers that we had, Jimmy on the gear, Joe and Ben—I could name loads of people. The mothers every Sunday morning, breakfast for the lads. We trained last Sunday evening, and you’d want to see the spread that was left out for us. There were curries, soups, and stew. Everybody was just putting their shoulder to the wheel. Community effort, no heroes, no egos, everybody doing it for the one cause. We're all working together.” Hyland even reflected on moments of guilt when asking volunteers for help but ultimately felt justified after the team’s championship success.

"Jimmy, at times, the kit man there, and Joe and Ben, you felt guilty at times asking them to do certain things during the year. I just put my arm around them and said, ‘Hey look, it's all worth it now, Jimmy.’ It's great when you win to be able to justify that, all the effort and stuff.” The final whistle may have brought joy, but Hyland admitted that the road to victory wasn’t easy. The weight of decisions and the pressure of managing a team took their toll, but the result made it all worthwhile.

"I was far from cool. To be honest, I found it easier hurling if I'm being straight. The last couple of nights have been sleepless nights. We had to make big decisions on players. You're human at the end of the day. You're questioning yourself and talking to the lads a good bit. An awful lot goes into it. As I said, Shane and Mick were unbelievable with me. The work we put in together. We're all driving it for the one cause, and look, it's great that it's paid off now."