Morgan lauded for leading Nemo to three-in-a-row feat

THIRTY years after winning the Cork championship for the first time, Nemo Rangers treasure their reputation as one of the leading football clubs in the country.

They have won the AIB All-Ireland title six times and the recent completion of the first three-in-a-row in Munster gave them a remarkable 12th provincial title.

Last evening, coach Billy Morgan, who has given a lifetime of service to the club, was honoured as the December winner of the Silver Springs Moran Hotel Cork GAA Sports Star award. Ballinhassig hurler Brian O’Sullivan, chosen as the November winner after his contribution to Ballinhassig’s county junior final victory over Fr O’Neill’s, also received his award. Both presentations were made by the hotel’s general manager Conor O’Toole.

Morgan was captain when Nemo defeated UCC in the 1972 Cork county final and went on to win the first of their All-Ireland titles the following spring, beating famed St Vincent’s in a replay in Thurles. Later in the year, he led Cork to their first All-Ireland title since 1945.

It was something of a struggle for the Turner’s Cross club to make the breakthrough. “We won the junior county in 1957 and from then until 1965 we struggled to stay senior,’’ he recalled. “But, we qualified for the county semi-final in 1965 and again in 1969. Without looking as if we were going to win a county, we began to hold our own. In 1970, we won both county minor titles, with a team which included Brian Murphy and Denis Allen, and when we made the breakthrough two years later a good few of the minor team were involved.’’

With 13 county titles to their credit (their only defeat in the Munster club championship being against Thomond in the 1977-’78 decider), Nemo’s only defeats in the early years were against UCD (1975 All-Ireland final) and against St Vincent’s (1976 semi-final in the Mardyke). In 1988, they lost to

Burren in another semi-final (in Midleton) and remained unbeaten until Crossmolina defeated them in the 2001 final. Last year, they lost to Ballinderry in Thurles.

Morgan and the team are not looking beyond February’s semi-final against Errigal Ciaran, having lost the last two All-Ireland finals. “I was involved with Cork when we lost two finals and won in 1989,’’ he said. “I won’t say it does not bother me, but you have to remain positive. Errigal Ciaran have beaten Ballinderry and also put out Crossmaglen Rangers. We know what we are up against.’’