The buzz is back in Ballina basketball

Basketball is buzzing again in Ballina. Since the senior team was revived three years ago, it has been gradually growing and progressing. Hundreds of supporters are flocking to home matches again.

For a veteran player in the Ballina squad, like Ronan O'Malley, it’s a joy to behold: “The support that we have had is huge, the place was wedged, we won the league the last two years. I’m really excited about the new season. Last year was our first year in Division 2 and we got to see what the standard was like. Unfortunately, two of our older lads picked up injuries, Ronan McGarrity and Peter Papik, but we won nearly all the games locally. We were competitive.”

The 35-year-old O'Malley had already played for Ballina before the senior team was disbanded. Like many in town, he grew up with the hype around players like Deora Marsh, Liam McHale and others competing for national titles. 

“When it finished up, many players had other commitments, it wasn’t really feasible to go on. Lads working in Dublin, going to college in Galway and Limerick, and then they had to get a job. We couldn’t get the numbers required for that level and there wasn’t a lower level to go to.”

So when the team in Ballina ceased to exist, Ronan went back to play Gaelic football, but he always wanted to play Basketball. When Covid happened, the football finished earlier and basketball got delayed. “I messaged the basketball team Sligo All Stars. It's only down the road. They said, come up here. So I went up and played with them.”

After a while he got a phone call from Derek Cunningham, current Ballina coach, telling him that they were putting a team back together. Ronan was delighted and joined them. 

Cunningham was an important driving force behind Ballina's resurgence of the senior team:“Growing up I went to the games with Liam McHale and the McStays” Cunningham explains to The Mayo News: “I don't think we fully appreciated it. They were competing with the big massive clubs. In hindsight, seeing where we are now, what they did back then was phenomenal.”

Cunningham himself got involved eleven years ago, coaching his way up to the senior team. Right now he is busily preparing Ballina for the new season: “Certain coaches put their players into their system and others look at talent available. That’s what I like. We have quick and athletic players so we try play an up-tempo game. My philosophy is confidence. Encourage them: If you’re open for a shot, hit it. Always be confident. I try to not over-coach. I won 80 per cent of games before the first whistle. I let the boys play the game as much as they want.”

However, confidence should not be confused with adventurism in Cunningham's coaching approach: “If a player takes a shot that they haven’t practised, I would sit them on the bench. The same would happen, if they pass off a shot that they could have taken, and as well for ignoring an open teammate.”

Cunningham enjoys coaching young talent and the whole club is looking forward to this season because of the new U-20 team. It's credit to Sean and Ann McHale that the Ballina youth section was kept alive during the years without a senior team. But now, Ballina offers basketball on every youth level, up to the seniors. 

The newly formed U-20 team consists of a couple of players coming from the local St Muredach’s College, who won an historic double Irish U-19 level earlier this year. 

For Cunningham it’s a perfect situation, having a bunch of young guns on the court who have recently won silverware:

“The greatest driver to improve is success because you want more of it. They gained so much experience now, the Muredachs, the young ones are infectious, how excited they are about the sport.”

Ballina certainly have some talented players. The U-20s and seniors train together, for a simple reason: A lot of the young lads play in the seniors as well. 

For Cunningham this is more of an opportunity than a risk:

“All we want to do, is to give them as many opportunities as we can. It's not easy, but they enjoy playing the big clubs in the country now, they want to be competitive.”

Ballina's focus on the youth department is part of a strategy: U-20 and U-18 are playing nationally, at the highest level in Ireland, and thats mimicking what the large clubs in the country do. Ballina hope that their youth teams are going to be a stepping stone for the senior team. 

Ronan O'Malley says: “The young lads are running the show now and I'm only trying to keep up.” Who knows, maybe the current developments will usher in a new golden generation?

The local support is there: Joe Lavelle of the Merry Monk restaurant in Ballina, is sponsoring the team again and this support has been extended to the new U-20 team now as well. 

Team Merry Monk Ballina will start their new season on October 26 with a home match against Oranmore Maree. Tickets for this season will be €8 for senior and €5 for U-20 matches. A season ticket for all nine senior and U-20 home matches costs €50 and will include cup matches as well.