Eoin Fehily pleased with Éire Óg's grit after edging Bishopstown in Ballincollig heat

Éire Óg manager Eoin Fehily said Friday’s McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC opener was all about performance, resilience and preparation as his side held off Bishopstown in a tense 0-15 to 1-11 win in Ballincollig.

The Ovens men survived a dramatic finish in this Group 3 Round 1 game when Conor Dunne’s late two-point free drifted wide.

Fehily felt the conditions shaped the contest as much as the opposition.

“The most important thing was the win,” he said post-match.

“We’re looking to build. There’s lots to build on. It was difficult conditions — the pitch was rock hard, the heat was something else — and at different times we were dead. We probably had to use the line a bit more than we thought going into it.

“Look, a win is a win. I just said it to the lads: group stages, a win is just worth a win. We got two points and now we’re paying attention to the next game against Clyda Rovers. That’s the most important thing — we’ve got to be building on it.” 

Éire Óg were semi-finalists last year, and Fehily didn’t shy away from the ambition that comes with that. But he was careful to keep the focus narrow.

“The only thing we’re trying to do is win everything in front of our face — from a training session to a recovery session. This evening we just wanted to focus on the game in front of us. 

"Bishopstown are a fine team, they were a fine team last year and they have another year under their belt. But our preparation… we did everything we possibly could. Thankfully that stood to us.” 

Bishopstown pushed them to the wire, and Fehily admitted Éire Óg left the door open.

“They pushed us all the way,” he stated.

“We were hanging on towards the end. The wides — more so even the turnovers in the second half — we had too many. But Bishopstown were in it because they’re Bishopstown. They’re a good team, a great team. We expected a good fight from them.

“We came for the win, we got the win. Everyone just wants to get out of their traps and get a win under their belt. But this win doesn’t mean much if you lose your next two. Full focus now to try and push on.

“The most important thing is we’re building. We want to be building momentum. We’re not looking at any disappointment or any high from the league campaign.

“A lot of people make the first game massive, but it’s really not. If you win your first one and lose your next two, it doesn't mean much. You can lose the first one and win your next two and you’re bouncing into the next round. One game at a time, one week at a time.” 

Fehily was full of praise for Daniel Goulding, who kicked 0-5 and brought his trademark composure.

“It’s just his experience alone. Even if he didn’t get a point… it’s not even his scoring. Everyone’s going to look at his scoring, but we all know he’s a great kicker, a great player. It’s what he does for the lads around him — the communication, getting us set. He’s a leader out there. The lads have massive respect for him.” 

And then there was Colm O’Callaghan, back in club colours after Cork’s season.

“He’s immense,” Fehily said.

“You can see him out there — some of the fielding out there that he did, it’s incredible. He hasn’t been with us all year.

“We had two good solid weeks with him. Obviously he’ll be hurling next week, but we’re getting him back and getting him more and more involved. His talent and ability speak for themselves. He’s great to have around — speaks well, trains hard, and plays effectively every time.”