Seán Hayes: Attitude to hurling in Nemo has always been spot on

They might be better known for their exploits with the big ball, but Nemo Rangers’ grá for hurling has always been there.

The hurlers of the Trabeg-based club have been put back in the spotlight over the last year or so due to winning the City JAHC title before going on to win the county. In their first season up at the premier junior grade, Nemo Rangers have density in their own hands going into the final group stage game this weekend in the Co-Op SuperStores Premier JHC. Victory or a draw against Kilbrittain tomorrow evening in Macroom at 7.30pm, and a place in the business end will have been achieved for Nemo. 

The City side are guided by a man also better known for the big ball, former Nemo and Cork football star Seán Hayes, who in the not too distant past has managed the Rebels U20 footballers and was a selector with the Cork senior football team under Ronan McCarthy.

Hayes is in his second season in charge of the Nemo hurlers, the first campaign didn’t go too badly.

“It has been a different challenge, absolutely, but it has been very exciting,” he says.

“To be fair, when you’re in a club, whether you are hurling or football, you're dealing with the same kind of people all of the time both on and off the field. They understand what you're trying to do and that’s a help. It has been exciting, winning the hurling county last year for the first time in 23 years was a major boost. It was a great result for us from a hurling perspective.

“How much longer will I do this for? Two years could be enough, but we will see how we get on in the remainder of this championship. It keeps you interested in the club and you get to know everyone. The attitude to hurling in Nemo has always been spot on. Funny enough, this is actually my second stint managing the hurling team, something people might not be aware of. I was in charge in 2004. Watergrasshill beat us in the intermediate semi-final.” 

It would be a significant step forward for Nemo Rangers if they were to make the knockout stages, but Hayes is fully aware of the challenge that Kilbrittain will bring. The West Cork side are in third, one place and one point behind Hayes’ team who have two points. Ballygarvan are top on four points and are safely through with Barryroe bottom of the group on scoring difference with a point.

“We set out two goals at the start of this year,” the Nemo Rangers boss said.

“The first one was to get promoted out of the Division 7 league which we very nearly did. We lost the last game of the league which defeated that goal and the next goal then was to qualify for the quarter-finals of the championship and go from there. We are still in with a chance of that.

“Kilbrittain won the Division 6 league this year, they beat Erin’s Own’s second team in the league final, which will tell you the calibre of team we are facing. We do realise that we have a big task ahead of us, but that’s the nature of the game. We want to do well in this championship and we want to take on this challenge.”