McIver backs Errigal Ciaran to defeat Nemo and reach final
Brian McIver, who guided the Derry champions to victory over Nemo Rangers in last year’s All-Ireland final, is convinced the Cork men can be beaten again by Ulster opposition this Sunday.
The Tyrone champions knocked out reigning titleholders Ballinderry on their way to lifting the provincial crown this season, and McIver believes they can repeat the feat achieved by his side last March.
“Without a doubt Errigal can do it,” said McIver, who stepped down as Ballinderry boss after last year’s St Patrick’s Day triumph, but has returned to the post for the coming season.
“Errigal Ciaran are a very good footballing side. They will have to play a lot of the football, for Nemo Rangers are also a good football team.
“Nemo are a good all-round side, and they have loads of experience. When they’re under pressure, they can dig in.
“Two or three times, we thought we were well in control of the game against them, but they worked their way back into it. They will not be easily beaten.
“But Errigal Ciaran have been playing very well, improving with every game during the Ulster series. I think that if they can play enough football, they can take them.”
McIver agrees with the widely held notion that if full-forward and skipper Colin Corkery can be curtailed, Errigal will have gone a long way towards avenging defeat by Rangers in their only previous All-Ireland semi-final appearance, nine years ago.
“Colin Corkery is one of the top players in the country when it comes to taking scores. If you can get the ball to him, he will score, no matter who’s marking him.
“And he will be very keen to make up for last season’s defeat, especially at this stage of his career, when he probably won’t have many more chances to win an All-Ireland.
“Errigal of course have their own special talent in Peter Canavan, who is always worth four or five points. And he has been playing particularly well in the latter half of the year.”
The Ballinderry chief stopped short of offering advice to Errigal manager Mickey Harte, but did give some pointers to the secrets of his own success against the Cork giants.
“We decided to concentrate on playing our own game, and it paid off. We played to our own strengths.”
Meanwhile, Leinster secretary, Michael Delaney, yesterday admitted to a sense of amazement at the overall reaction to his revolutionary proposals to revitalise the provincial senior hurling championship.
“Generally speaking, I am amazed at the response. There has been so much talk about it, especially among club people in the counties. The ironic thing is that Dublin clubs were asking why they couldn’t be included in this proposal.’’
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