Nemo boss wary of threat posed by ‘dogged’ Stradbally

THERE IS a growing public perception that this season’s AIB Munster Club Football Championship is destined to climax in a Crokes v Nemo Rangers face-off, but both clubs still have some work to do before that glamour pairing becomes a reality.

That is certainly the message Nemo manager Eddie Kirwan is stressing ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Stradbally in Páirc Uí Rinn (2pm).

“Start thinking like that and you end up watching the next game on TV,’’ warns Kirwan, who is also a junior and intermediate player with the club.

The Cork champions may be the most successful club in the history of the competition but in their most recent outing two years ago they were served a chastening dose of humility when Limerick champions Drom Broadford defeated them in the Gaelic Grounds by a point.

Of course Nemo’s history of success at county, provincial and national level is quite extraordinary. Prior to their Cork championship breakthrough in 1972 against a UCC side that had the late Moss Keane at full-back, the roll of honour was headed by Lees (12th title in 1955, last competed 1964) and Macroom (10 titles, last 1962).

Over the last four decades, Nemo have captured the provincial title 14 times and were crowned All-Ireland champions on seven occasions. Three weeks ago they won an 18th Cork title.

They have lost only three times in the Munster championship — once in the final (1977, to a star-studded Thomond team captained by Pat Spillane) and in semi-finals against Crokes in 2006 and that Limerick reverse in 2008.

Kirwan doesn’t need to be reminded of the responsibility that weight of history levels on him. But he points out that ‘pressure’ in this case is very different from the strains and anxieties felt by people in everyday life.

“It’s not that type of pressure, in that you can walk away from it,’’ he says. “Obviously it is very important when you are involved, but you have got to keep a perspective. If you are good enough you will win, it’s as simple as that.’’

By coincidence, Stradbally were Nemo’s first ever opponents in this competition, when the Cork men prevailed by 1-11 to 1-5 in Walsh Park in 1972. More recently, they met in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2005 when Nemo finished seven points clear.

Finalists in 1980 when they lost to St Finbarr's and again five years ago when Kilmurry-Ibrickane edged them out in a replay, Stradbally qualified for tomorrow’s semi-final by beating Doonbeg in Fraher Field a fortnight ago.

Revealing that Nemo had ‘a peek’ at them in action that day, Kirwan says they were especially impressed by Stradbally’s defensive display.

“Stradbally are very dogged. They only conceded four points and that’s a superb effort. They are very experienced with the likes of Shane Ahern, Michael Walsh and Tony Grey.

“Club football in Waterford and Clare isn’t necessarily reflective of the counties’ fortunes at inter-county level. Ballinacourty reached the final two or three years and only lost by a goal and The Nire should have beaten Crokes in 2006.

“For us, it’s really a case of knuckling down and bring prepared for what comes from them. We have seen them. There is nothing we won’t be prepared for. It’s just dealing with it on the day.’’

Nemo will again miss James Masters, who has not fully recovered from minor surgery, but will otherwise be at full strength. They are able to call on seven players who shared in the club’s last All-Ireland victory in 2003, while the only real newcomers are wing-backs Colin O’Brien and Aidan O’Reilly and corner-forward Barry O’Driscoll.

Nemo’s most recent outing was in the Cork league final against the ‘Barrs – when Kirwan attributed a poor first-half display to the county final ‘effects’ and the distraction of preparing for the Munster semi-final. However, he is confident that his players will approach this game in the right frame of mind.

“You can’t look beyond this game. People were looking forward to Crossmaglen versus Nemo in the 2009 All-Ireland semi-final and then we lost to Drom Broadford.”