Premier SFC: Full deck for Nemo Rangers for final

Nemo Rangers manager Robbie O’Dwyer expects to have a full squad to choose from for Sunday’s McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC final against St Finbarr’s at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (3.30pm).

The city side, beaten in the last two deciders by Castlehaven, earned a bye to the semi-final stage after group wins over Ballincollig, Douglas and St Michael’s gave them top seeding. In the last four, extra time was required to get the better of Newcestown but the Trabeg side have no injury worries emanating from that.

“Everyone seems to be okay, touch wood,” O’Dwyer said.

“We did a light session Tuesday night and another one Thursday night.

“I'm hoping they'll be all ready, but everyone seems to be fine at the moment anyway.”

One change for Nemo this year has been the relocation of Cork panellist Briain Murphy from the full-back line to midfield, where he has developed a strong partnership with captain Alan O’Donovan.

“I just think we've kind of looked at the way the rules have gone,” O’Dwyer said.

“Alan, obviously, has been performing brilliantly around the middle of the field always anyway and Briain has been a revelation.

“Obviously, you're taking him away from the full-back line, but it's just we've felt we needed a bit of physicality around the middle of the field.

“I think the two of them have created that.”

O’Dwyer also paid tribute to Philly Ryan after the Tipperary manager died at the weekend.

“When I went to Clonmel that time [2022], three years ago, he was a selector with me,” he said.

“A lovely fella, you couldn't meet a nicer fella and, as well as that, he was just Clonmel mad, Tipperary mad, a great footballing man.

“A lovely fella, a great coach and great to be around, very witty. I just couldn't believe it when I heard it.”