Improve or lose, says Bernie

WHILE the bulk of his players are going for their second All-Ireland title in three years today, the same can’t be said for Newtownshandrum manager Bernie O’Connor.

Undoubtedly, given that O'Connor had coached most of the 2004 All Ireland title winning team from the time they were U-12, and led them to their first Cork county senior title, in 2000, it was still 'his' team that, two years ago today, lifted the most coveted club prize in the country.

That year's coach, Ger Cunningham, gave Bernie full credit for the victory. However, the fact remains. O'Connor wasn't involved. He had taken a sabbatical. Does this put him under a bit of pressure, today?

"No," says O'Connor, and from the level tone of his voice, you know he means it, "definitely not."

"It's just another match, really. We'll go up, do our best, at least that's what we're hoping for. If our best isn't good enough, then so be it. Now, I think if we do perform to our best, we'll win, but if they're better than that, there's nothing we can do about it. But I don't feel under the slightest bit of pressure, good bad or indifferent.

"We've gone as far as we can go in the club championship, now we win this one, or we lose it."

If they play like they've been playing up until now in the championship, Newtown will more than likely lose today's game.

Newtown have just not fired on all cylinders, yet, for a full 60 minutes.

"No, they haven't. Look at the campaign since the start. We beat Castlelyons well, but didn't play well; could have lost to Bride Rovers, played well against the Barrs, in patches, then came out against Cloyne in the county final and flew through the first-half but took it easy in the second half.

"For the Munster semi-final, we had gone to see Thurles Sarsfields playing Lixnaw, in the first round, and it was dire.

"In fact, Lixnaw were unlucky not to win. Then I saw a tape of the Tipp county final, and, again, Sars looked terrible. I thought they should have been beaten by three goals. You show players that tape, what are they going to think?

"It was the same against Ballygunner for the Munster final. We watched them against Clarecastle (in the semi-final) and it was as bad a game of hurling as could see. Again, you show the tape of that match to the players, what are they going to think?

"In both games, they thought they were in for a soft match, and it showed. Against Ballygalget as well, they were nearly caught; weren't right for that one either. And at that stage, we had actually stopped showing them tapes of matches."

Whatever about Thurles Sars and Ballygunner, Newtown could certainly have shown their players the tape of the Portumna semi-final win over James Stephens, when the Galway side simply crushed the reigning All-Ireland champions.

"We did, actually, last Thursday night, but you can get carried away with tapes of matches. You know sport, anything can happen on any given day.

"I like to quote Clyde's win over Celtic, in the Scottish Cup; all the hype was for Celtic. Keane's debut match. It was going to be an exhibition. Clyde won 3-1, it could have been 6-1, yet if they were to meet a hundred times in a season, Celtic would hammer them every time.

"But on that given day, Celtic weren't right in the head. That's what I feel will be the difference this Friday, whoever is right in the head. If our desire to win our second isn't greater than their desire to win their first, we're in trouble."

Speaking of trouble, the area where most observers expect Newtown to flounder is in front of goal, their own goal. While they're not a renowned goal-scoring team themselves, Portumna have an extremely potent full-forward line.

All-Star Damien Hayes in one corner, rising start Joe Canning in the other and former Galway senior Niall Hayes (a brother of Damien). Pace, power, precision, in all three.

Bernie recognises the threat, but isn't intimidated. "I've been hearing a lot about that, reading a lot about it. Their vaunted full-forward line. Look, every player has a day when he's going to be brilliant, and it's not always the player you think it's going to be.

"There was a piece in the Connacht Tribune recently that our full-back line hasn't a hope of holding their full-forward line, that they'll run riot; we'll have to wait and see, but they could be eating those words come Saturday morning."

Fighting words, but the continued absence of regular corner-back Gerdy Mahony is a real cause for concern in Newtown, so that the breakthrough this year of former Tipp underage star Dermot Gleeson, in the other corner, is a real bonus.

"He's fitting in very well, gets on so well with the rest of the lads, and he's tough, very tough. Got a belt on the thumb a few weeks ago against Offaly U-21's. It was affecting his training, so he asked the doctor to take off the nail, completely.

"Played against Wexford last week, got another slap right on the thumb, blood spurting out from under the bandage, but he didn't want to come off. Tough man, like iron."

They're going to need all that toughness, and more, Newtownshandrum, if they're to prevail in Dublin today.

The feeling here though is that, all things being equal, their previous experience at this level should prove decisive. Newtown to win by a couple of points.