Motherway: strength in depth can inspire Cloyne’s revenge
With Cloyne demolishing Midleton in their local derby quarter-final, great things are expected from the red and black tomorrow. Manager Sean Motherway knows it won’t be easy but takes solace from his Cloyne side’s strength in depth.
“We try to get a good start in every game and we were fortunate enough to manage that against Midleton, and we ended up with a nice score. We realise that’ll be very different on Sunday against Newtown.
“Probably for the first time in a while we have a bit of a panel. We have a nucleus of about 20 players that we feel we can call on at any stage with confidence. Against Midleton Maurice Cahill had to withdraw before the game but Declan (Motherway) came in and did a fine job.”
His Newtown counterpart, Simon Morrissey, had plenty to consider after his team’s narrow win over Imokilly in their quarter-final — not least one significant injury.
“Donal Mulcahy is out injured,” says Morrissey. “He missed the last game as well. He’s recovering well but he just won’t be ready for tomorrow. He’s a loss, because he’s a good man to win puck-outs and gather possession.
“We were lucky to come out of that game — we didn’t play well at all on the day and Imokilly were well fired up for the match. People underrated them, I think. You look at how Carrigtwohill are playing, they kept Inniscarra scoreless for a whole half, and Imokilly can call on those lads and good hurlers from other clubs. Having said that, we didn’t play as well as we could either. That performance wouldn’t beat Cloyne.”
Not if Cloyne repeat their free-scoring form against Midleton, and the heroics of their centre forward in particular. Moving Cork full back Diarmuid O’Sullivan up front has been close season chat on Leeside for years; the suggestion was boosted by O’Sullivan’s 3-7 in the quarter-final.
“Everybody knows how talented Diarmuid is,” says Motherway.
“He’s always been a full back for Cork and played wing back for us up to this season, but this year we felt the attack could do with a bit of strength, and so far it’s worked a treat.
“Getting 3-7 was marvellous and I think he’s enjoying it at the moment — at the start of the year I think he was finding his way but now he’s settled there and he should have a good tussle with Pat Mulcahy tomorrow.”
It’s certainly an individual battle that’s caught the imagination; two cogs in the Cork full-back line suddenly with room to hurl. Simon Morrissey says Newtown are happy with their man: “Pat has been outstanding for us down through the years, he’s held great men and played some marvellous games in All-Ireland finals and so on for Cork as well. We have no worries about Pat Mulcahy.
“We’re very wary of Cloyne, they’re hell-bent on winning a county championship and you’d have to admire any team with their determination — beaten in two finals and here they are, back again and probably going better than for the last two years.”
Cloyne certainly seem to be moving well, but Motherway knows how big the challenge is.
“I think a lot of people were making us favourites on the basis of an easier quarter-final victory than Newtown’s,” says the Cloyne man.
“But we’re still conscious of the fact that we’re playing the county champions, the Munster champions and, if the weather had been a little kinder last St Patrick’s Day, potential All-Ireland champions. With respect to the teams we’ve played, we’ve had an easier path to the semi-final but we’re well aware that this is going to be a serious test.
“Everyone knows they’ll play a running and possession game but we’ll be doing our best to stop them.”
Don’t be surprised to see the next generation of running men tomorrow either. As Simon Morrissey says, the future looks bright up in north Cork.
“We have three or four lads who should be playing minor for Cork next year — Cork might have won the All-Ireland minor championship this year if they’d given Ryan Clifford more of a chance. We’re happy we have a good underage structure in place and that minor team is very promising. We’ll be around for a while, believe me.”
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