Carrigaline boss Michael Meaney: Backing up the Barrs win was the key objective

Carrigaline manager Michael Meaney said his side showed character and composure when it mattered most as they backed up their opening-round win over St Finbarr’s with a hard-earned victory over Mallow in Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.

The 0-16 to 0-14 result moves Carrigaline to four points in Group 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC and keeps them firmly in the hunt for a knockout spot heading into the final round.

Meaney was satisfied afterwards, not because the performance was flawless, but because his team survived a fierce second-half surge from a Mallow side fighting to keep their season alive. Carrigaline were also without Cork footballer Brian O’Driscoll and Callum Barrett, both sidelined through injury.

“Coming in here today, you’re coming up against a good physical team, and you’re coming up against a team that had no points on the board,” Meaney said post-match. 

“Mallow were in the semi-final two years ago, so they weren’t going to be beaten without a whimper. And it proved that.

“When they got momentum, they got momentum. But I think we held our heads. We won a great ball over by the stand side and went down and Jack McCarthy got a score to put us back up two points late on. It was crucial as Mallow had come right back into it.” 

That moment — a composed, pressure kick from McCarthy — steadied Carrigaline just when the game was threatening to slip away. It was the type of response Meaney wanted to see after the emotional high of beating St Finbarr’s three weeks ago.

He acknowledged that the win over the champions had changed the external conversation around Carrigaline. 

“Beating St Finbarr’s was great, but it was a marker on our back then. People had talked us up, and there was an expectation on us coming in here today. The most important thing was getting the win and backing up the Barrs win. We did that.

“It wasn’t pretty, but at the end of the day, every team in the championship will say the same thing — it’s about getting the job done. You can’t be on top form every day.” 

Carrigaline played patches of excellent football, particularly in the first half. Other spells were more ragged, especially when Mallow’s physicality and direct running asked questions. But Meaney’s side found answers, and that was enough.

“We were under the cosh, but we came out the other side of it,” he says.

“The two-pointers were important. Kevin O’Sullivan, our coach, is working on that in training — getting the ball to your two-point shooters, the fellas that can do it. We got them today, and they were vital in such a tight game.” 

Carrigaline now sit on four points, while Douglas and the Barrs are on two, with Mallow on zero. The final round is delicately poised, the Barrs face Mallow, while Carrigaline meet Douglas.

“It’s the joys of the group format,” Meaney states.

“It’s just about winning and getting a result again. Over the next four weeks, we’ll sit back, look at this, take the learnings from it, and move forward.” 

Those four weeks will also give Carrigaline time to assess two key injuries. O’Driscoll and Barrett missed Sunday’s win, but Meaney is hopeful both could return for the Douglas game.

“Brian and Callum are in the rehab situation at the moment. Over the next four weeks we’ll see where we’re at, and hopefully they’ll make it. They’d be a good injection for us, of course.”