Nemo v Castlehaven preview: Fitness of Brian Hurley could be key

SUNDAY: 2020 Bon Secours Premier Senior Football Championship final: Nemo Rangers v Castlehaven, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3pm.

IT’S 329 days since their semi-final victories, but the long delay won’t dilute the enthusiasm or weaken the interest in this fascinating city-west Cork encounter.

And while it’s a pity that a ceiling of 500 people has been placed on the last county final of 2020, those left out can still view it ‘live’ on a couple of platforms.

Nemo, who are the defending champions from 2019, are bidding to win the Andy Scannell Cup for the 22nd title with the Haven going for their sixth and their first since 2013, when Brian Hurley inspired them with a dozen points in a dazzling display against Sunday’s opponents.

It will be the Trabeg club’s 26th final, excluding the replays of 2015 and 17, and the Haven’s ninth, also not factoring in the replays of ’15 and 1997.

The meeting of the two giants is a repeat of 2015 which Nemo won by 1-10 to 0-11 at the second time of asking.

The holders played five games to reach the final, which should have been played last October until Covid struck nationwide and the country grind to a halt.

They had routine wins over Valley Rovers, Bishopstown and Douglas in Group 3 before engaging Ballincollig and Duhallow in the knock-out phase.

Luke Connolly’s hat-trick decorated their 5-7 to 0-14 win over Ballincollig with Mark Cronin and Ronan Dalton claiming the other goals, but it was much tighter next time out.

Duhallow snatched a late equalising goal, which seemed destined to result in extra-time but for the quick-thinking of keeper and captain Micheal Aodh Martin, who quickly got the ball back in play.

Some 30 odd seconds later, Cronin, who was the leading scorer of seven that afternoon with 0-4, popped up with the winner, 0-14 to 2-7.

Paul Kerrigan chipped in with 0-3 and Connolly and Conor Horgan supplied 0-2 apiece.

The Haven played a game less en route after snatching the lone semi-final place on offer and avoiding the quarter-finals.

That was due in the main to a 4-19 to 2-4 romp against Ilen Rovers in their concluding Group 2 game and the Haven ended with a better scoring difference than the city pair of Nemo and the ’Barrs.

They started the championship with a 0-14 to 0-9 win over Carbery Rangers and then defeated Newcestown by 1-12 to 0-9 before the ultra-dramatic last-four tie with the ’Barr’s.

It was well after 9pm on that Sunday night in early October, when Mark Collins strode forward with purpose and confidence to plant the winning goal in a nerve-tingling sudden-death penalty shoot-out.

They had finished 1-13 apiece after extra-time and and were still tied at 3-3 after the regulation five penalties before the skipper held his nerve, to the obvious delight of the west Cork contingent.

Collins leads the Haven scoring charts with 2-15, 11 frees, from his four outings with Connolly, as ever, topping Nemo’s on 5-22, one goal from a penalty, 12 frees and one ‘mark.’ 

Nemo won’t have the services of midfielder Peter Morgan due to injury while the Haven are keeping their fingers crossed that Hurley can recover from the leg injury sustained in the Division 2 league final win over Newmarket three weeks ago, when scoring 2-6. Though right now that looks unlikely.

The game features a string of Cork footballers as well as the Cahalane family hurling connection with familiar names like Martin, Connolly, Kevin O’Donovan and Briain Murphy on the Nemo team-sheet.

The Haven have Collins, the Hurleys, Brian, if fit, and Michael from the Cork football set-up, joined by Damien and Conor Cahalane from Cork senior hurlers along with younger brother Jack from the U20 teams in hurling and football.

Neither are solely reliant on their inter-county players, though all are critical to their prospects of winning.

Nemo’s Kerrigan, Stephen Cronin, James McDermott, Colin O'Brien and Barry O’Driscoll represent their level of experience and all-round balance while Jamie Walsh and the Maguires, Rory and Cathal, among others, reflect the Haven’s strength.

It’s a fascinating contest, which will be handled by Conor Lane on what’s expected to be a perfect afternoon, a rarity for county finals.