Carbery Rangers power into semis: 'We don't want to stay down here longer than we have to but we'll take it one game at a time'

The Carbery Rangers objective would have been clear from the outset this year: Win the Cork Senior A football championship.

In terms of what needs to be done to fulfil that objective, their path is now clear. Their convincing win over Newmarket on Sunday ensured exactly that.

To return to the top-grade at the first opportunity following their demotion last year after a 20-year stay, they must beat either Kanturk or Kilshanning and then take care of business in the decider.

Rangers boss Robbie Ahern and his charges are certainly keen to, sooner rather than later, climb out of the "bear pit" that is Senior A football.

"The goal is to get out of it, but we can only take it one game at a time," Ahern said post-match. "It is the bear pit.

"We don't want to stay down here longer than we have to, and we want to get back up as quickly as possible, but we'll take it one game at a time."

The West Cork men certainly have the firepower. Centre-forward Paul Hodnett pulled the strings in Carrigadrohid, whilst kicking six points, Cork underage starlet Dylan O’Neill grabbed four and Daragh Hayes top-scored with 1-5.

And don’t forget it’s a forward line that also includes former Cork senior John O’Rourke too.

Ahern spoke glowingly of that forward unit, while also noting the difficulty in picking a starting cohort and those to be sprung from the bench. Not a bad place to be heading for knockout land.

"They're enjoying playing football now," said Ahern. 

They can all score, but they are equally adept at creating as well. 

"They're working well together, and starting to enjoy it too."

Man-of-the-match Hayes was keen to stress the importance of relying on their offensive and defensive principles.

Do the basics well, work tirelessly for one another, no easy shots for the opposition. The usuals.

They applied themselves well in all of the above on Sunday afternoon and have now earned their reward.

“We have huge respect for Newmarket there, the O'Keeffes, Hugh O'Connor, all these lads, Paudie Allen, they're phenomenal players,” Hayes said. “They're a great club, and if you let them, they will do damage.

“But, again, we just stuck to it, stuck to our principles. We’ve every confidence that if we do that, things will swing our way eventually.” 

Clever

Hayes’ 50th-minute goal finished the game as a contest, putting 12 between them with 10 to go before Cathal Browne’s Newmarket goal-burst, but the full-forward was keen to credit the work done elsewhere in the build-up to his green-flag.

“To be fair, Paul (Hodnett) was cute. He copped the short kick-out early. I had the easy job then just to try to finish it off.” 

And that he did. It would eventually seal their final-four berth and a relaxing seat in the gallery for the quarter-final meetings.