Nemo are Cork’s best

NEMO Rangers will represent Cork in the Munster club senior football championship as county champions following their 2-8 to 0-10 win over Duhallow at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday. 

It was their 21st success.

Nemo meet new Limerick champions, Newcastle West, in the first round at a Cork venue on Sunday week with the winners taking on either Dr Croke's or Austin Stacks from Kerry in the semi-final.

“We don't know anything at all about Newcastle West, but either way we will prepare properly,” said Nemo manager, Paul O'Donovan.

“First things first though, we will celebrate this county and I'm sure those celebrations will go for a few days.”

Nemo owed this latest triumph to a couple of quick-fire goals from Luke Connolly which helped them lead by 2-6 to 0-2 at the interval and two brilliant saves from keeper Micheal Aodh Martin in the second-half.

Having led by 11 points early in the second-half, Nemo saw their lead whittled down to four in injury-time.

“It's a mixture of relief and joy at winning,” said the first time county final manager.

“Once we the lead didn't drop below four points I was happy enough, but we certainly didn't make it easy for ourselves.”

Newcastle West defeated Oola by 1-11 to 0-8 in the Limerick final, but the provincial club favourites, Dr Croke's, needed a late goal in extra-time to salvage a 1-15 to 0-18 draw with East Kerry in the Kerry semi-final.

There are also major celebrations in Ovens direction after Éire Óg won the county premier intermediate football title by defeating St Michael's by 0-14 to 0-12 in the curtain-raiser.

Former Cork star Daniel Goulding captained the side to a second county in five seasons after winning the lower grade intermediate title in 2004.

Both Éire Óg and St Michael's will compete in the new-look county senior A championship next season.

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