Nemo kept their cool once more to see off Carrigaline, now can they take down the Barrs?

Mark Cronin’s penalty and a late point from substitute Dara O’Sullivan have Nemo Rangers into a fifth consecutive Cork PSFC final, and a shot at revenge on St Finbarr’s for how last year’s decider ended.

Carrigaline were on top and pushing on in the second half when Kevin O’Donovan was hauled down. Cronin stood over the penalty, and finished it with the minimum of fuss. It took his tally to 1-7 and put Nemo back in front, and they held on to win by two.

“He stepped up,” said Nemo manager Robbie O’Dwyer. “He wanted the ball. He's coming back from injury as well. I'm delighted for him today because, obviously, he's missed a lot and he's just come back into it.

“He's obviously our main player, and he did the business for us today. And that's what it's all about.

“I mean, look, it could have gone either way. In fairness to Carrigaline, it was a great performance by them as well. And it was tit for tat all the way in the second half.

“I just think that things looked like they were getting away from us there. I thought the second half, they started to get on top and they were pushing on. 

But, look, in fairness to our fellas, the never say die attitude all year, and we asked them at half-time to come in, playing against the wind, that we were going to have to work that little bit harder.

“I think it's just the goal, it changed it really, at the end. It was a little bit of a cushion we got. And we came out the right side of it, and I’m just delighted.” 

Even with the cushion, Nemo had to repel wave after Carrigaline wave before breaking for O’Sullivan to seal it in the dying moments. It was a repeat of the quarter-final in Clonakilty, where he kicked the last two points to see off Castlehaven.

“He’s a good, promising young player coming through,” O’Dwyer said of O’Sullivan. “He got the winning point there and he got the last two points as well against Haven down in Clonakilty. He's a good player, a good prospect.

Bench press 

"And it's nice to have fellas like him on the bench.

“We have a bench now, and we have fellas that are there that can step on and play. And we're delighted with all of them, they’re good.” 

That bench was needed. Bryan Hayes and Ross Corkery, who shared 1-9 against Castlehaven, were the first two players Nemo took off on Saturday.

“There's nothing against the lads in fairness, it's just they had a bit of an off day today,” O’Dwyer said. “They tried hard, but just things didn't go for them. And in two weeks, they can turn that around.

“And that's why we have a bench, we have to bring the fellas on. And, I mean, it worked for us today. 

The two lads, they've been great for us all year, so, it's just they've had an off day today.

“But I wouldn't be worried about those fellas at all going forward.” 

Barry Cripps remains sidelined, but Nemo hope he can feature in some capacity on final day.

“He’s been injured. He’s still kind of going through kind of rehab at the moment. But in another two weeks, I don't think we'll get him fully fit to play a full match, but he might be there for maybe 15 or 20 minutes.”