PIHC: Dungourney daring to dream again: 'Goalposts have moved, it's a huge game for the club'

This is only Dungourney’s third season in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC.

On Saturday afternoon, they take on Ballincollig in the semi-final in Caherlag at 4pm. This is new territory for the Imokilly side.

It’s certainly a pinch me moment for many including for captain Niall Motherway. When he started out with Dungourney, they were struggling to get their act together in the Imokilly JAHC 15 years ago or so.

They have come a long way since. They are the only unbeaten team in the PIHC this year as they went directly to the semi-finals after three successive wins in the group stage.

“Getting out of the group is always the first priority and we managed to do that,” Motherway says.

“Winning three games was every box ticked as far as we were concerned.

“We just really want to get that consistency. A lot of times in the last few years we win a game, lose a game and then maybe win the next one and lose the next one. So trying to get that consistency now and just perform every day has been the goal really and so far so good.

“I suppose we have been building year on year and we have been progressing but we’ve probably progressed a little bit further this year.

“We have a lot of players back from travelling and whatnot from Australia and we have five extras that have come up from minor.

“We didn’t have them last year when that new rule came in. We probably have eight or nine additions to the panel from last year. The panel ends up becoming very, very strong, not that it hasn’t been strong in the past, but it's stronger than ever at the moment.

“Strength in numbers really is the key I think for us this year, rising tide lifts all boats.” 

It has been a slow burner for Dungourney at this level after winning the Co-Op SuperStores IAHC in 2022.

They finished third in their group the first year up before losing to Mallow in the quarter-finals last year.

“We believe in ourselves,” the Dungourney captain said.

“We try to just take it one day at a time, which is really important in this grade. As you know, Premier Intermediate is probably the most competitive grade that’s out there. Every team can probably feel they can beat any team on any given day.

“Every game we feel we can give a performance and if we give a performance, we’ll be there at our best.

“When we were Junior A, we were dreaming of getting to an East Cork Junior A final. That was the dream and now things have shifted, and the goalposts have moved, so to speak. We’re dreaming again, I suppose, for different goals.” 

Ballincollig were one of the fancied teams to go very deep into the championship before a ball was hit in anger at the start of the year. Motherway and Dungourney know what they will be coming up against on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a serious team we’ll come up against now. Obviously, Ballincollig will be the favourites.

“You could say there’s less pressure on us, but I suppose being in the semi-finals, there’s always pressure. It’s a big game for Dungourney.

“It's a huge game for the club. We don’t take it lightly. It’s a privilege to be in this situation. Pressure is a privilege for us.”