Premier SHC: Increase in squad depth stands Charleville in good stead

Having been in the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC relegation play-off three times in the past four years, reaching the knockout stages with a game to spare represents clear progress.

After an opening-round win over Newcestown, victory was achieved in Sunday’s north Cork derby against Newtownshandrum on a scoreline of 1-21 to 0-15. It had the dual effect of guaranteeing progress for Charleville and eliminating their neighbours and, with a game against Midleton to come, manager Dominic Foley is to keen to maintain the momentum.

“I just said to the boys inside, are we happy with qualifying or are we going to look at Midleton as a possibility of qualifying straight to the county semi-final?” he said.

“With scoring difference and so on, that's what I'm going to be looking at. We're going in to play Midleton, it could be the first time in a very long, long time that we could possibly do that. So, that's what our focus is going to be and I suppose that's the way it has to be.”

When Charleville beat Bishopstown last year to avoid the drop, a combined 3-10 was scored by Tim Hawe, Andrew Cagney, Conor Buckley and Jack Doyle. None of that quartet started on Sunday, with their introductions from the bench underlining the depth available.

“With the squad we have at the moment, fellas who are coming on as subs aren't happy,” Foley said, “the fellas that don't come on aren't happy, the fellas who are playing and come off, they're not happy.

“I love it – I'd much prefer to have it this way than to have them looking around going, ‘Oh, who do we have to throw on?’

“The boys from [number] 20 then up to 30 train hard every week. 

They keep pushing the boys from 20 to 15, and then the boys from 20 to 15 keep pushing the first 15. So we have a good momentum going at the moment.

“Look, it all comes down to the dirty side of the game. Unless we can do that, we're going to be beaten, so we have looked a lot at that side of the game.”

As well as the superb attacking play, Charleville also benefited from strong defence.

“It makes a massive difference,” Foley said, “because they had something like eight or nine wides in the first half, but every one of their shots were under pressure.

We always say that – you never know what pressure does to a fella. Don't give a stupid free, because the next man in might put him off.

“In fairness to James Kennedy, our hurling coach, and Noel, our selector, they pinpointed to us that, unless Newtown get goals, they're probably not going to out-shoot us.

“So we worked on that for the last few weeks; or backs were alert and alive all the time.

“To come out without conceding a goal with the likes of Jamie Coughlan around there, ready to pounce at any minute, we're delighted with that.”

BALANCE

They will look to improve further ahead of the last group game, safe in the knowledge that there will be another match to come.

“We have a hurling-free week coming up,” Foley said.

“We've worked away with football all year and we have to – we just to look after their bodies if they need to sit out of training after a gruelling encounter.

“Just to watch themselves and we'll be ready for Middleton in a couple of weeks’ time.”