Premier SHC: Douglas manager hails character shown after qualifying

Douglas manager Denis O’Riordan was delighted with the character shown as they held off Fr O’Neills to earn a second straight Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC win on Saturday.

The final score in Páirc Uí Rinn was 1-16 to 0-16 in favour of the city side, having led by five points at half-time. Their East Cork opponents did have the deficit down to a single point at one stage late on, but Douglas withstood the pressure.

“There was big character shown in what was a big test,” O’Riordan said.

“We dug deep and we got there in the end. With their firepower, the likes of Declan Dalton and Billy Dunne, it was going to be tough but everyone put in an incredible shift.

“It was immense, it was real proper championship hurling.

“After playing back-to-back the last two Saturdays, we’ve a few sore bodies but what a hell of game. We’re delighted to get the victory.

“We knew that they were obviously going to be on a high, having won the senior A championship last year and coming up. Every ball was ferociously fought and there wasn’t an inch given.

“I thought our boys showed incredible character. They dug really deep and we’re just delighted to get out of it with the points.” 

Having opened with a win over Erin’s Own, Douglas now sit on four points. Last year’s senior A champions Fr O’Neills had begun life at Premier Senior with a draw against Charleville and O’Riordan knew to expect a tough battle.

“We played them in the league the last two years,” he said.

“It was a ferocious battle in Douglas last year and we only came out of it by a point; this year, they gave us a right pasting down in their place.

“We knew that they weren’t going to go away, even if we were four or five up. There was just no inch given, proper championship hurling, and I thought it was a superb display from our guys.” 

Douglas, without Eoin Cadogan and losing Mark Harrington during the second half, were helped by the impact of their bench, with Eoin Dolan scoring three points after coming on.

“Eoin’s a superb guy,” O’Riordan said.

“He’s up and down to Dublin and his attitude is second to none. 

He’s been with us a long time and he started the last few years so his role has changed a small bit but having that impact and that experience coming off the bench is huge.

“It’s something you have to have at this level, you need the depth there and he offers that to us, along with Shane Bourke. All the subs we used had serious impacts, even Charlie Lucas is only 17 and he did very well.

“Eoin Cadogan is pretty close, to be honest, but we said that we wouldn’t take any risks.

“Mark felt a bit of a hamstring in the first half and continued on as long as he could. When you’re out again in three weeks’ time you can’t be taking chances with fellas.”