PJFC: St Nick's manager Mick Evans urges Cork County Board to change 6.30pm throw-in time for last round of group-games

ST NICK’S recorded an important win in the Bon Secours Hospital Premier junior football championship last weekend to revive their championship aspirations.

The city club lost in the opening group-stage game to Ballydesmond on a scoreline of 1-17 to 1-14, so it was a welcome relief for the club when they edged out Cullen last Sunday in Mallow, 2-9 to 1-10.

It sets up the final round of group games pretty nicely on Friday September, 8. Urhan are top with three points, St Nick’s and Ballydesmond are joint second, with St Nick’s in front on the head to head rule while Cullen are bottom with a point. Ballydesmond meet Cullen in Kiskeam and St Nick’s go up against Urhan in Dunmanway in what should be a dramatic finale to the group.

But, while St Nick’s got that huge shot in the arm with the gritty two-point win over Cullen last week, manager Mick Evans is far from happy with the CCC’s decision last Monday to move the upcoming Urhan game to 6.30pm. The CCC decided that from September 1st, all championship games that were originally scheduled to take place at 7pm will move to the earlier time of 6.30pm due to the failing light.

Evans, a very experienced boss, who has been in charge of the Cork minor footballers and Douglas senior footballers, is urging the Cork County Board to change the 6.30pm throw-in time for the game scheduled for Dunmanway.

“We as a management team in St Nick’s are very frustrated with the time we have been given for the Urhan game on Friday, September 8,” says the St Nick’s manager.

“It’s a critical game for us and for Urhan, we have to win to progress. I am not sure they have the same problems that we have, maybe they have. We have one player in Dublin, who has to try and take the day off. We have a number of lads working in the opposite side of Cork City to West Cork. We have a few players who are apprentices in the building trade, and having spoken to all of them, they will have serious problems trying to take time off work to get down to Dunmanway for the early throw-in time.

“Some of our other lads are afraid to ask their employer for time off. Like, the game is on at 6.30pm, we would want to be down there for 5.30pm. On a good day, it would take just over an hour to get down there and with Friday evening traffic, we would want to be leaving home at 4pm. The Cork County Board have to sit down and have a look at this again and change the time. I know they have difficulties with trying to get pitches, but they should have all the games on that Friday at 7.30pm or 8pm at venues with lights. That’s not too much to ask for. There’s no way we should put out a team short a few of our players in such a big game in St Nick’s recent history. The players might make the second-half so it's not acceptable having the game on at 6.30pm. People might say, ah just suck it up it's not like every game is on at 6.30pm on a Friday. That's not the point, this is a massive game of football.” 

It is most definitely a significant game for the Blackpool based side, the club have tumbled down the grades in recent years having been a top flight outfit as recently as 2019. But, Evans, who is in his second season at the helm, is certainly turning the tide. St Nick’s have a young and motivated group determined to put the proud city club back on the map again.

“It has been well documented how tough it has been in recent years for St Nick’s, but since I have come in, I have been so impressed by everyone in the club. We have great numbers at training, we have between 18 to 26 lads every training session. We have a young team and this Urhan game is a massive game for us as we try to move forward. The players want to succeed and push the club on. But, whatever happens against Urhan, the future is bright I think for St Nick’s.

“We are all trying hard to rebuild the club. We keep reminding the players in the dressing room of our history and tradition but we also tell them to create their own history.”