Nemo’s seventh heaven

MAURICE McCARTHY stood back for a moment yesterday to ponder the madness, just like he’d done at training 10 days ago.

That night, he'd rescued himself momentarily from a frenzied session of backs and forwards and wondered were Crossmolina putting themselves through the same torture.

"We were kicking the s**t out of each other because everyone was bursting to make the side. Even though the team was settled, there were still a few places in the melting pot. We have a panel of first-team players."

Yet, McCarthy might have feared for his own place after being replaced in the semi-final victory over Errigal Ciarain.

The kick-outs he dominated at Croke Park yesterday were slipping out of his hands in Portlaoise. McCarthy had a pensive Monday at work until the mobile rang.

"Billy (Morgan) was on the phone wanting to meet me. When I left work he was waiting outside, looking to go for a coffee. He's unbelievable, constantly picking you up and motivating you."

Yesterday was Morgan's finest hour. Though he has enjoyed success at all levels with club and county, seldom have the forces of fate been so skewed to his disadvantage.

Nemo's seventh All-Ireland club victory was a storybook thriller of misses and misfortune, perseverance and poise.

And after it all, the players boarded a train and swapped stories last night in Nemo's clubhouse on the South Douglas Road in Cork.

When they reflect, Nemo will cherish the manner in which they barely hung on to Crossmolina in a riveting first half as much as they toast Colin Corkery's lead point in the 58th minute.

Nemo were in a tailspin when they lost Niall Geary (concussion) and Martin Cronin (hip), but as they cleared their heads at half-time, the damage on the scoreboard was superficial.

"We decided to go with three midfielders in the second half," explained Maurice McCarthy, "but things were very controlled in the dressing room. No-one seemed to be panicking."

"Of course, the defeats of the last two years are at the back of your mind and when we started missing chances you think 'don't tell me it's going to be another one-point defeat.

"That would have been hard to take," said McCarthy, who formed a stellar quartet around the epicentre of the storm with Gary Murphy, Kevin Cahill and Alan Cronin.

Billy Morgan's anxiety was also evident: "I was beginning to think it wasn't going to be our day. Colin missed a chance or two but once he hit that one at the end, I knew it was going over the bar."

Morgan spoke later of his unspeakable pride in this bunch of players, but the feeling is mutual.

"I had a point to prove after the semi-final and I was a bit down but the confidence which allowed me to come good today is the confidence that Billy Morgan has in me," says McCarthy, a wing forward only by jersey number.

"He was ringing me, meeting me. I had some fears that I might be dropped for the final but he put that to bed straight away."

Morgan is fanatically loyal to the Nemo players but not enough to ignore the need to replace Steven O'Brien and Derek Kavanagh at Croke Park yesterday.

Morgan must have already been contemplating Martin Cronin's struggle against the outrageous talents of Kieran McDonald when injury forced the Nemo centre-back off the field.

What Morgan hadn't budgeted on was losing Niall Geary.

In their stead came a fresh crew of heroes in waiting.

Few outside Cork will know of Paul Brophy, Brian O'Regan, Sean O'Brien, Gary Murphy, Kevin Cahill or McCarthy but they were as important to Nemo's rally as Corkery, Kavanagh et al.

Larry Kavanagh described by Morgan as the best club corner-back in Cork is frequently the third brother in the photo frame, but he is the Nemo prototype: unflustered, resilient and intelligent.

Dylan Mehigan and John Paul O'Sullivan were timely introductions too, at a time when Crossmolina were close to submission.

What wreaked such a total transformation in the second half? The shifting sway at midfield, perhaps, but the toil of Alan Cronin and the finishing of Colin Corkery are devastating weapons in any arsenal.

Cronin has cemented his place on Cork's forward line and how much longer can it be before Gary Murphy joins him in red?

Joe Kavanagh may not see many more days in the blood and bandage but he can rest his back a while in the knowledge that he proved to himself, more than anyone, that in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day, he could produce the goods.

In defeat, Crossmolina proved themselves worthy champions of two years ago.

If Nemo are the finest team trading on their talents, John Maughan's side are scarcely inferior.

When they rebounded from Nemo's efforts to retake a two-point advantage in the 49th minute, the winning post shimmered into sight.

Ironically, the sorcery of Kieran McDonald may have been their undoing.

So spellbinding had he been for 40 minutes that his colleagues instinctively went in search of the No 11 as the game reached its climax. By that stage, Nemo's rearguard had clamped shut.

Undoubtedly, the better side prevailed. As well as kicking 14 wides, they were denied a hat-trick of clear goalscoring chances.

"You begin to worry whether it would be like two years ago again," admitted Morgan. "But these lads are the most fantastic bunch I have ever been involved with. And that's saying something."

It certainly is.