IT’S a sixth Carbery JAHC final in eight years for Ballinascarthy – and preparations remain very much the same.

The first two finals of that run were against this year’s opponents Kilbree, who they face again on Sunday in Kilbrittain (3.30pm). Kilbree won in 2018 before Bal claimed victory in 2019, but those early clashes aren’t what dominate the current group’s thoughts.

Last year’s final defeat to Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas, after a replay, still stings. Even after gaining a measure of revenge by beating the Castletownkenneigh club 0-22 to 0-18 in this year’s semi-final, there’s unfinished business for the Pedlars Cross men.

‘This one has a bit more hurt coming into it after last year,’ Bal defender Ciarán Nyhan told The Southern Star.

‘Mathúnas were the better team. They beat us all around the pitch. Once the subs came on, they wanted it more and won the dirty ball better than us. We’ve carried that hurt into this year and hopefully we’ll channel it into this final. You never know when you’ll get another chance to lift something again, so we’ll try our best to win it.’

There have been tough days like that, but also good ones – including Flyer Nyhan Cup wins in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Bal want the good times to keep rolling.

‘It’s a nice achievement,’ Nyhan said.

‘We haven’t won all those finals, but we’ll take it. We know finals are hard to come by. There was a section of our panel that hadn’t reached one until a few years ago. We have to grasp this opportunity again because you never know when you’ll get back.’

Competing against strong county opposition in Division 6 this year – including Aghada, Cloyne, Sarsfields and Glen Rovers – has helped Bal, too.

‘The league really stood to us,’ Nyhan said. ‘Division 6 is a tough grade with plenty of good teams. But league form doesn’t always transfer into championship. They’re two totally different beasts. When the league ended, we faced a tough championship group. We had a few narrow wins and a draw, but we did enough to get out of it.’

That group featured Clonakilty, Kilbrittain and Kilbree, who they drew with 0-11 apiece. Round two against the Rossmore club comes this weekend.

‘When you’ve played them already, you know what to expect – and probably a bit more,’ Nyhan said. ‘They’ve come through quarter- and semi-finals like ourselves, so momentum will carry them as much as us. It was a close game before, and we know how good they are. We just have to focus now and drive on.’

A blend of experience and youth has been key to Bal’s consistency.

‘Across our team, you’ve lads into their 30s now – the likes of my brother Daniel, Jeremy Ryan, Chris Ryan, Darragh Hennessy – and then the younger lads in Timmy Cullinane, Colm O’Brien, James O’Brien,’ Nyhan said.

‘In junior hurling, you might hit your best form in your late 20s or early 30s, so it’s great to see those lads going well. I only came onto the panel a few years ago, so it’s nice to help the younger fellas learn what it’s about.’

What this Ballinascarthy team doesn’t lack is leadership.

Nyhan captained the 2022 championship-winning side, but Luke Murray now wears the armband – one of many natural leaders in the group.

‘Out of 12 or 15 lads, you could pick a name out of a hat and they’d lead the way any day at training or in a match,’ Nyhan said.

‘Luke’s first at training and last to leave. When we were doing gym work in winter, he was always the one pushing to get out on the pitch.

‘We’re doing well again, thank God, back in a final. We’re reaping the rewards.’