Premier SFC final: Small tweaks have made the difference for St Finbarr's says Brian Hayes

Brian Hayes feels a combination of things have helped St Finbarr’s this year as they aim to win the Andy Scannell trophy.

To do that, they must beat southside rivals Nemo Rangers in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC decider tomorrow at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (3.30pm).

The Barrs have adjusted slightly this season both in tactics and how they approach games. Throw-in the new rules too and it has been the perfect mix.

St Finbarr’s performance levels have gradually increased since the start of the year.

“Looking at our league and championship performances this year, I think we’ve been consistent for a lot of the year,” the Cork senior hurler says.

“That’s something we have focused on, taking things game by game rather than trying to look ahead to getting back to semi-finals or finals because you have to do the work before you get there.

“I think we have definitely taken everything game by game. The lads were great throughout the league winning Division 1.

“We would have been disappointed with how the last few years have gone since winning the county in 2021. I suppose we have just matured and evolved this year.

“The style of play and stuff like that, we have changed a few things with the new management. They are in their second season. Brian Roche [manager] would have been involved as a strength and conditioning coach previously under Paul O’Keeffe.

“So yeah, it has been great. It’s great to have voices like Jimmy Barry-Murphy involved.

“The new voices have helped change a few things especially around match day and stuff like that.

“Jimmy has been brilliant to us. It was no surprise to me that he wanted to get involved because he was involved with a lot of minor teams and U16 teams in the club. It's great for him to be giving his time to come out here. After a long service to the Barrs and even Cork, it could have been easy for him to just leave it at that.” 

Hayes is fully aware of St Finbarr’s record against Nemo Rangers. They have played each other in four finals with not one Barrs victory.

You have to go back 13 years to the last time the Togher team defeated their neighbours in the championship.

“I think the motivation for us is to focus on ourselves and get back to trying to win a county.

“When you’re in a final, you want to win it, regardless of the opposition. After losing in 2022, if it was against Nemo or someone else, it doesn’t really matter who you lose against, you lose the final.

“I think the aim for us at the start of any year is to try and win a county. Three years is a long time for us not to be in the final.

“It was brilliant getting to the 2022 final after winning the championship in 2021. It was something that we were slowly getting used to, but I suppose that’s where you can fall behind.

“We’ve only won the football county 10 times. Any county you win, no one takes them for granted. We definitely don’t take them for granted out here in Togher.

“I think the final will be an absolute monumental task, like any other final is. It’ll come down to just a small margin on the day.

“You need a bit of luck and stuff like that. Hopefully on match day we can put a performance together that might get us over the line.” Hayes ended.