Ennis feels Ballinagore are battle-hardened

Clarke's Bar Westmeath Junior 1 Football Final preview

Michael Ennis has been back with his native Ballinagore as manager of the junior side for the past two seasons.

A Leinster Junior club winner as a player, Ennis is a much-loved figure in his local club and will obviously relish the opportunity to lead them into Sunday’s Junior 1 football decider. They have developed nicely over the past two years and will be viewed by many as favourites to take the Hugh Daniel Cup.

“I got involved last year. There was a good blend of youth and experience there and it kind of got us over the line in junior two. You need a combination of both. Then, I suppose this year, we have had a couple of minors after coming into the team, which has made a huge difference. Then, obviously, Tommy (McDaniel) coming back was a huge boost as well too,” he reflected.

“It kind of just showed the importance of winning Junior 2 last year. It was probably more appealing for Tommy coming back.”

Ennis agreed there’s a real ‘feel good factor’ about the club and community at the present time.

“There's a good buzz alright now. A couple of years ago, football might not have been mentioned much in Ballinagore, but there's a huge buzz around. Everyone is talking about football now. Even at the game the last day, there were an awful lot of the school kids there supporting us. It’s fantastic to see that,” he remarked.

They have learned plenty from a successful campaign thus far.

“We beat Moate All Whites in the first game. Then, the second game, we beat St Joseph's: a very tight game and probably was a game that, looking back, that we were very lucky to win. St Joseph's were probably the better team of the day, but we managed to scrape a win,” he recalled.

“Then, we had Ballynacargy, which was a usual tough game. It was probably a game of two halves with a strong wind. We probably lived dangerously a bit at times as well too, but we got over the line.

“Then, we had another tough game against Bunbrosna, which was another game we could have lost. I suppose there was a little bit of steel and character being built into the team. We had our last group game against Ballycomoyle. They were probably struggling and they were probably gearing themselves for the relegation game the following week.

“Then, you're into the quarter-finals and you're against the second team and you don't know what to expect. I thought we were professional against Athlone and started the game strong, which probably put them on the back foot.”

The semi-final against St Loman’s is a game that could have gone either way.

“When we were going in against St. Loman’s, it was going to be a huge battle. St Loman’s, I'd say, for the last six or seven years, have nearly been the favourites and thereabouts in the junior championship,” he observed.

“It was a dramatic game. It was full of mixed emotions. I'm still trying to get my voice back from it, but we started the game well. Then, they got goals at crucial times that kind of rocked us a good bit. The lads didn't panic. They kept believing that they could do it.

“From a management point of view, I think it was 29 minutes gone in the second half. We were two points down and St Loman’s had a penalty and a great save. Not only that, we were first to the rebound. We were able to get the ball down the far end of the field and Tommy kicked a two-pointer.

“It was a very, very fine margin. We probably were a way better team in the first half of extra-time, but we didn't put the scores on the board. Then, St Loman’s scored another goal in the second half, which put us a point down. As I said, all year, in the group stages, there's great character and steel being built into the team. In fairness, they dug us out and got over the line.”

Ennis feels those traits will be crucial once again come the final.

St Joseph's were in the final last year. They were probably disappointed they didn't win it. The year before, I think they were in the semi-final. They lost out on penalties the year before the quarter-final. They have great experience and are battle-hardened in the junior league. We spent two years in Junior 2 and this is our first year back up Junior 1. They probably have that experience over us.

“I'm just hoping that being in the Junior 2 final last year in Cusack Park will stand to us. And we were in two league finals this year. The lads have got in there a few times which we hadn't been there in years before. Hopefully, all of that will help. The occasion - you're always worried that it'll get to lads but hopefully it won't anyway. St Joseph's are going to be a very tough team for us to beat.”

There’s lively attacking players on both sides, which sets things up for a good contest. There are exciting forwards on both teams. It just shows the luck of having a good day last year in the Junior 2 final. We had a lovely sunny day.

The next day for the Junior and Intermediate, there was a strong wind blowing; different conditions totally. I think a fine day is going to make a huge difference to both teams but there is the prospect of being a very, very exciting high scoring game. They have a lot of good forwards.

“Jordi McDonnell is probably one of the best forwards in Junior. There's a couple of other forwards there too, like Alan Conlon. Ross Elliffe is a big man. Then going to defence, they have Andy Conway, Jake Gannon - a huge amount of experience and talent.

“I'm sure the videos have been out trying to correct their own mistakes first and foremost and then trying to come up with a plan that'll hopefully get us over the line against St. Joseph's.

Ennis is a decorated player having won Leinster and All-Ireland U21 medals with Westmeath in 1999 and of course a Leinster senior medal in 2004.

But he has fond memories of his Leinster Junior success in 2005 as a player with Ballinagore, while he also tasted success at Intermediate level a couple of years later.

“We played Grangenolvin of Kildare in that final and it was a special day. We had to travel to Kilkenny for the first round and we were very, very lucky to get a win that day. I suppose it was kind of a roller coaster ride. You didn't know what to expect,” he recalled.

“We got the semi-final and final in Ballinagore, which was a huge help and probably created a buzz as well. I suppose the only disappointing thing with Leinster in 2005 was that the All-Ireland final was in Croke Park and we were within touching distance of it. We got beaten in the semi-final by Loughrea. For Ballinagore to have got to Croke Park would have been massive. There were a lot of players in Ballinagore, really good footballers who drove the club on for years and years probably deserved that chance. But as you know in football, you have to earn it.

“We won the intermediate then in 2007, which was great also.”

Prior to last year’s Junior 2 success, it was all of 17 years since Ballinagore had tasted glory. Now they are hoping to keep the winning sequence going.