O’Shea expects ‘a very tough game’

TOMORROW is another date in an amazing month for Pat O’Shea.

While guiding Dr Crokes to a Munster club football final against Waterford champions, The Nire, O’Shea also had to deal with taking on the most demanding assignment of his football career — the management of All-Ireland champions, Kerry.

After three years as coach to the seniors and a lifetime involvement at different levels at under-age, he will be breaking the link with the Killarney side.

“Wherever the journey takes us, we’ll see. After that I will be finished, but there are plenty more people in the club to take it on,” he commented.

But, that’s for another day. For now, the huge challenge of taking over from Jack O’Connor and the ‘day’ job as one of the Munster Council’s two Games Managers, are put to one side.

The entire focus is on beating Waterford champions The Nire in Páirc Uí Chaoímh tomorrow (2pm).

Crokes have a ‘history’ of sorts in the club championship, except that it’s all of 15 years since they beat Doonbeg in Bruff to win the Munster title for the second consecutive year.

And, after having gone out at the semi-final stage the previous season (to Salthill), this time they went all the way to win the title, first overcoming Parnells, then Corofin and Thomas Davis from Dublin in the final.

One year later they contested the Munster semi-final, but lost to Cork side O’Donovan Rossa who succeeded them as All-Ireland champions.

O’Shea was a member of the team which won in Croke Park in 1992. Knowing how difficult it is for teams to reach the pinnacle in this competition makes him all the more determined to ensure that the current makes the most of the opportunity presented to them.

“We were all very disappointed after losing the county final (to South Kerry) Understandably it takes a lot out of you, but the lads, to be fair to them, made a decision that they would give the competition a good go this year. Obviously Nemo were always going to be a difficult side to beat at any stage, so going down there we were a little apprehensive. But, we were also very positive in our ability and we felt that if we did play on the day we had a very good chance.”

O’Shea was not only delighted with the win (2-10 to 0-10), but the manner in which the team played ‘was very heartening.’ Whether or not it represented a real improvement of form from the county final, he found difficult to say, explaining: “divisional sides are always difficult to judge against and South Kerry have proven themselves to be an exceptional team by winning three county championships in a row. So, it was always going to be an unknown coming up against Nemo, because we had played another divisional side in the semi-final.

“The county final was a different game. Ourselves and Nemo knew each other fairly well and our styles are fairly similar. There was never going to be a whole pile in it. The goals were crucial, when they came for us.”

A local club game last weekend meant that the Crokes management didn’t get to see The Nire’s replay with Aherlow. All they know of them has been gleaned from viewing a DVD of the game. And, because of the prevailing conditions, it was difficult to form a judgment.

“The one beautiful thing about the club championship is that it’s a very level playing field. And, regardless of the conditions, or where the counties come from, there’s normally not a whole pile between a lot of the teams.”

He recognises that the public at large will view it rather differently, something of a David and Goliath clash, with no Waterford club ever having managed to win the championship.

But O’Shea will also recall that when the Crokes won the first of their Munster titles back in 1990 it was also in a replay against Clonmel Commercials.

“Obviously we have no control over what the public will say but all we know ourselves is that it will be a very tough game. It’s a Munster championship final. We respect The Nire and the extra game will bring them on. Maybe they will be coming in a little bit ahead of us.

“It’s all about the pride of the parish. Players do extraordinary things when they are doing it for the people in their own communities. That’s the beauty of the club championship.

‘‘It has taken us 15 years to come back and it could be another 15 to return. We want to give it a right shot and hope that we can play to our potential and give a good account of ourselves. If that’s not good enough that’s fine. But, at least we are going to try and play to our maximum if we can.”

Verdict: Dr Crokes to advance.