Our 2025 Remembered series is brought to you in association with Bloom HQ, Mountrath
After guiding his side to another Laois SHC title in October, Clough-Ballacolla manager Willie Hyland gave a fairly explosive interview
After guiding his club to back-to-back Laois senior hurling successes and a fifth in six years, Clough-Ballacolla manager Willie Hyland certainly didn’t hold back in his after-match interview on Sunday.
His side had upset the odds to beat Camross 2-21 to 2-15 to complete another remarkable season for the small club and a major personal triumph for Hyland and his management team.
Hyland himself has more or less gone straight from a playing career where he won six senior medals with the club to manager, where he’s won another two.
And speaking to media after the game he expressed his massive pride in his side – as well as his serious frustration with how he perceived the club to have been treated over the season.
“They’re all different,” he said initially when asked how the various successes compare.
“The first one is probably the most special for an area like ourselves. But this one is different.
“We’ve had knockback after knockback. This is a story of resilience for this team because it’s been unbelievable all year. Picky (Maher) did his cruciate back in April or May, whenever it was.
“You know, Tommy Rennan broke his leg and then Robbie Phelan gets suspended. That’s three of our top forwards gone. Lee (Cleere) came off the last day at half-time.
“It was just heroic,” he added.
But he then addressed a number of issues that have clearly been frustrating him.
Among the points he made were around a league fixture pileup earlier in the year, which actually saw Clough-Ballacolla give walkovers in both Division 1 and 2.
He cited their strong county representation as putting major pressure on his playing resources and a lack of flexibility on Laois GAA’s behalf when it came to some leeway.
He also hit out at the suspension handed down to Robbie Phelan, who was red-carded in the Round 5 group game over The Harps but whose suspension was doubled to a two-game ban as he had previously been sent off in a league game this year against the same opposition.
“Look, if I’m being honest, I’m a bit disappointed as well in how we were treated,” he began.
“It seems to me that we give seven lads to the county every year and I don’t think we get the same credit.
“From a county board point of view, we’ve asked for a bit of help with regard to fixtures. Our same players play Premier Intermediate and Senior. We were asked in one week this year to play three games in four days.
“There was nobody playing ball from a county board point of view. One time I asked PJ Peacock, he was over at Abbeyleix.
“It was down for Sunday evening, we asked for a change on Sunday morning. Abbeyleix were happy, we were happy, the referee was happy. It wasn’t changed.
“Robbie Phelan has been treated disgracefully. What Robbie did that day was nothing, he was just defending himself.
“We played that day, we were playing against a team that were pinching and poking and saying things about players’ families and their partners and their mothers.
“Robbie was just defending himself. What he did was minimal. He shouldn’t have been missing the county final.
“He was actually sent off in the wrong in the league game against the Harps as well. You’re talking about a club where every year we give the most amount to the county and we’re getting no payback.
“That’s why it’s so sweet, lads. We were absolutely wound up to win this county final. We were so wound up.
“We knew all we wanted was one rap at a final and we wouldn’t be too far away. Sorry now, I know I’m going a bit of a rant here, lads, but I’m angry. I’m angry at the way we’ve been treated as a club.
“Angry is not the word. Robbie Phelan, my heart goes out to him. I’m on the ground, I ring Robbie Phelan the following day after an EP and I see how disappointed he is.
“We’re trying to keep that man in the country, have him hurling with the club. He’s been an absolute stalwart for us over the last number of years. So it’s not right.
“Until the hurling people leave to take hold of this county board, we are in trouble. We are in trouble. That was a story of resilience today, what we did. A story of resilience.”
Camross were comfortable winners when the sides met in the group stage but the context of that game was important. Camross had their backs to the wall and needed to win or they were as good as out. Clough-Ballacolla had two wins from two and were in a much safer position at the time.
“Look, we were just chatting about it during the week. We played them in the group stages and if Camross lost that game, they were out, right? We were telling our lads, ‘look, there’s a chance to knock Camross out when we play them’.
“But realistically, the lads knew they were still in the Championship. As much as you say to the lads when you try and get into their heads, they knew they had a safety net.
“So finals are different, lads. We were saying to the lads all year, just get to a final by hook or by crook and then you have a 50-50 chance.
“And it turns out they had the best display of the year there. We’re so proud of them. You know, I could name lads all over the field, but heroic performances all over.
“And I thought even in the first half, Camross, they got the (goals) kind of against the run of play. Zane got a great second goal but he should have been tracked. You know, the (free), you should be stopping them really.
“We were three points up against the wind at halftime. We probably should have been an awful lot more. And the second half, look, it got a bit nervy there near the end.”
In relation to Picky Maher, he said the management debated on Friday night about when exactly they’d bring him on.
“He had some entry there. You know, he set up a score. I think he got a point from play. A massive free.
Stephen Bergin, who got 1-13 and the Man of the Match award also came in for special praise as did corner-back Joe Pearson, who was assigned the role of keeping tabs on Tomas Keyes, who he held to a point.
“We’re particularly happy today to see him really stand up and take hold of the game by the scruff of the neck. He gets his 1-13, his man of the match. He’s been a stalwart for the last, what, 10 years probably at this stage.
“And that was one of his best performances I’ve seen in a Clough-Ballacolla jersey anyway. Look, Steve is one of the cleverest players I’ve ever played with or managed. He’s an absolute assassin.
He’s some man to get a goal. And he loves finals. And he might frustrate you maybe in league games or challenge games.
But by God, when the big day comes, Steve O never lets it down. And we all love Steve O. He had a big responsibility hitting the frees as well. That’s not an easy thing.
Picky was obviously missing. And he was unbelievable to man him all year, you know. And there’s just everything about Steve O today.
“He was just a different. You could see he was just in a different zone today.
“Joe (Pearson) was unbelievable in fairness to him,” added Hyland.
“That was a big ask. Mossy was the in-form forward in the county. There wasn’t a bother on Joe.
He’s an easy-going type of fella. I wasn’t worried about him, to be honest with you. We felt he was a good match for Mossie.
And I thought he was really, really good.”
While the celebrations will take centre stage this week, attention will soon turn to a Leinster club campaign where they will play the Westmeath champions. Lough Lene Gaels and Castletown-Geoghegan drew in Mullingar on Sunday and must meet again in a replay.
“We want to do well. We haven’t done well there the last two times we’ve been there.
“Since we got to the Leinster Final, we haven’t performed like we want to. Look, Willie Dunphy (who went off with an injury) is a big concern there. He’s a big player for us.
“The standard at Westmeath is very, very high. So whoever comes out there is going to be strong.”
Our 2025 Remembered series is brought to you in association with Bloom HQ, Mountrath
SEE ALSO – Check out all our Laois SHC final coverage here
SEE ALSO – Laois Hurling Podcast: Clough-Ballacolla champions again as Castletown complete minor double
