PIFC: Communication and buy-in key to Nemo's second team competitiveness

It’s a testament to Nemo Rangers’ second team that they have been very competitive at the Premier Intermediate football level for such a long time.

The city side are once again in the mix to make the knockout stages of that particular grade this season. They face Bantry Blues this evening in the final Group 1 contest in Rosscarbery with throw-in at 6pm.

Nemo Rangers are on two points with Aghada with Aghabullogue top on four points.

Bantry Blues, beaten finalists in 2022 and 2023, are bottom with no points, but still have a chance of sneaking into second.

For Nemo Rangers though, they will be hoping to make it third time lucky against this evening’s opposition having lost to them in the quarter-finals in 2023 and the group stage last season.

“It’s all on the line now against Bantry,” Nemo Rangers boss Brian Twomey says to The Echo.

“A win and we will qualify for the latter stages. We are looking forward to it. We are in good enough form, beat Aghada first day out and then lost narrowly by three points to Aghabullogue, who are one of the favourites for the county.

“We are delighted to be in this position in the sense that we have a chance of extending our campaign. Communication has been key this year, this is my first season in charge. I have a great relationship with the Premier Senior manager Robbie O’Dwyer.

“It has been challenging with so many games, but we have tried to manage the workload. We have also had lots of injuries. We have used a lot of players too, we survived in Division 4 of the league and all to play for in the championship.” 

Nemo Rangers won the IFC, when there was just one Intermediate grade, in 2002 and 2004. They haven’t come close since, but they haven't sailed too close to the wind either.

“We take the second team very seriously in the club,” Twomey said.

“If you just look at our past managers in charge, Ephie Fitzgerald and Billy Morgan for example, it’s a very prestigious role to hold in Nemo, the Premier Intermediate job. We have always wanted to maintain our status.

“I was lucky to have been involved when we won the Intermediate football championship in 2004. We were backboned by a lot of U21 players, who were mad eager to play at a higher level. A lot of them then went on to play for the first team.

“To be fair, what we have now in terms of our second team, it’s very similar to 2004. We have a very good mix of young players. Anything you ask of them, there is no problem.

“There’s great spirit and we are lucky to have a good pool of players at the moment with the aim of strengthening the first team.” 

Twomey is quietly confident going into the Bantry Blues game. Nemo Rangers have the performances to back that confidence up.

“We won’t be taking anything for granted. It will be a tough game going down into West Cork. Bantry Blues have had the better of things in recent meetings. It will be tough, but this is going to be great exposure for our younger players.

“We have around 12 U21 players playing, that’s brilliant as they can see what it takes to play adult football. This will test them, Bantry Blues will be a wounded animal, but look, we are looking forward to it. You want to play these games that have bite to them.”