Mallow hurlers looking upwards after challenging few years 

Mallow’s win over Éire Óg two weeks ago in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC was significant for many reasons.

The North Cork club had suffered demotion from the SAHC 12 months ago and were without any points heading into their final Group 2 match. A relegation play-off was on the cards again, but Mallow put in their best performance in many years to prevail on a scoreline of 4-18 to 4-16 and in the end it was good enough to finish in the top two on scoring difference.

The Avondhu side face Dungourney in the quarter-final of the championship tomorrow in Páirc Uí Rinn at 5.30pm. Mallow will go into that one high in confidence after such a morale boosting victory against Éire Óg according to their manager Vince Morrissey, who is in his first season at the helm.

“There has been continuous hurt for the players in Mallow,” he says.

“Mallow haven’t won a hurling county since 1972 so that’s 52 years. I don’t think many people are aware of that. Mallow haven’t won a first round game in hurling since the change of the championship format in 2020 and suffered relegation last year. When a team is in a downward spiral, the hardest part is self-confidence. You have to be really patient and allow the players the freewill to come out of the tailspin. It’s a very difficult tailspin to come out of.

“The first day of the championship, the lads didn’t equip themselves well at all against Ballincollig. The tendency in human nature when things aren’t going well is to fall into that pit. The second game was against Aghabullogue, a fresh team up, who are now in a relegation play-off, which just shows the competitive nature of the championship. 

"We had a high wide count and lost by two points. The players' chins slightly fell to their chests. The key message since has been bravery and that inner courage to keep going on the performance side of things regardless of the results.

“The players had enough of the old way and it was up to them to break through the glass ceiling which they did against Éire Óg. It was survival of the fittest and we stood up. We showed courage and bravery.” 

Morrissey brought in Claude Gough as coach at the start of this campaign and the boss has nothing but praise for the man from Charleville.

“When we as a management team met with the players at the start of the year, we set out our stall,” the Mallow manager said.

“We lost a good few guys to travel but when you're coming out of any form of old self and you're moving into a new self and a transitional period, there’s tough conversations that need to be had and who is fully committed and who is not, but the door is always open for players. Any guys who are hitting the right markers physically, there’s an open door policy for them.

“We want to create a winning mindset. Claude [Gough] has been through it winning county titles as a manager with Charleville. He’s a brilliant guy and a brilliant coach. To get results, there has to be a transformation and it has happened.” 

With the monkey off their back, Mallow have the pressure taken away from them to a certain degree as they go into battle with Dungourney tomorrow with a place in the semi-final against Watergrasshill on the line.

“We will never underestimate Dungourney,” Morrissey said.

“I am an East-Cork man myself, from Aghada originally, so I would know Dungourney pretty well and they are now a club who know how to win. They lifted the county championship title at Intermediate A level in 2022. As I mentioned at the start, Mallow haven’t won a hurling county in 52 years. 

"After being relegated last year, we are finding ourselves to be in a rebuilding phase. All the evidence points towards Dungourney being favourites for this game. They have beaten some serious teams this year in Ballinhassig and Ballymartle.

“There’s always a however with Mallow and putting the above into consideration, we are fully committed to our own goals and we have been working tirelessly as a management team and a squad. So while we respect our opponents, we are confident in our own preparation. 

"Our goal was to avoid back-to-back relegations and the fact that the stopgap is now in, guys can enjoy their hurling and have the freedom to express themselves. It’s a new beginning for Mallow.”