John Hayes on Carbery Rangers' league run: 'At one stage, we were down 30 players, I had to go in goal and ended up conceding six!'

Former All-Ireland winner John Hayes oversaw Carbery Rangers’ second team’s successful McCarthy Insurance Group Division 7 league title success.

A victory over West Cork neighbours, St James, brought silverware to the Rosscarbery club in Clonakilty last Thursday evening.

The 2-16 to 0-9 final score suggests a one-sided affair but it was far from that. Rangers led by five at the break before pulling away in the second half and kicking for home via late Eoghan Hayes and JP Eady goals.

Hayes and his selectors Cian O'Mahony, Vincent Hegarty and Colin Murphy guided Carbery Rangers’ second team to county league triumph. Naturally, Hayes is delighted with his panel’s overall progress so far this year.

“I think it is a brilliant county board initiative to have the county leagues structured the way they are,” said Hayes.

“Towards the end, it can be a bit of a struggle with lads away on holidays and sitting the Leaving Cert. 

Maybe divisions of nine, four home games and four away, might work a little better and you could spread games out.

“Overall, the league has been great as you are getting proper games every two weeks.

“Our seniors have such a big panel, between 45 and 50 guys. Not all of them are going to play senior football. So, this is a great avenue for them to play good, quality games every two weeks.

“Look, it is great for us to win two years in a row, league titles and stuff like that. I have always said it to the boys, I’m finished playing now, but you can’t win enough, you just can’t win enough.” 

Blend

Hayes and his management team’s ability to mix experienced campaigners with newcomers emerging from the club’s U21 and minor ranks helped Carbery Rangers’ second team gain promotion.

“We have used close to 45 players in this year’s league,” Hayes stated.

“At one stage, we were down 30 players because of lads away on holidays for a game against Inniscarra. I had to go in goal and ended up conceding six! That was one occasion where we were down to the bare bones but made sure we fulfilled the fixture.

“We have used a huge number of players this year and the younger lads have all gained valuable experience. It is brilliant for our club to be able to do that.” 

St James were disappointed with their Division 7 final display.

Having drawn level late in the opening half, poor shooting and repeated turnovers allowed a more clinical Carbery Rangers assume control.

Despite the loss, Alan O’Shea’s side have gained promotion at the conclusion of a fruitful league campaign.

“Look, hands down, Ross were the better team,” O’Shea admitted.

“We were down a few players but that’s not an excuse or anything like that. It has been a great league for us. We got plenty out of the league and that’s all we wanted.

“It is going be to be a huge benefit to us. We are building all the time. 

Some of the old brigade is gone and we are trying to bring in a lot of new, younger lads.

“They were smarter than us, especially their senior players. Their senior players were better on the ball and knew what to do with it. That was the main thing.

“As for the county championship, win the first game, that’s it. We cannot look beyond that first game. So, we will see how we get on.”