Finance student Nolan gives credit to defence

Seven days after punching home the goal that won Castlehaven the Cork senior football title, Shane Nolan struck again on Sunday in Clonakilty.

The West Cork men were just getting on top of Limerick opponents Dromcollogher-Broadford in the Munster SFC quarter-final when Nolan, on as a sub for the second weekend in a row, rifled home a low drive for the game’s only goal.

“It was a bit different to last week’s goal,” said Nolan, a 22-year-old finance student in UCC. “Sean Dineen made a brilliant run through the middle, he managed to keep on going and popped it to me around the 13-metre line — it was an easy one for me to put it into the corner.”

Castlehaven kicked on from there to run out 1-15 to 0-7 winners, a harsh final scoreline for Drom-Broadford?

“It was a very close game until the last quarter, when we got the goal that killed them off a bit. They had a man sent off then as well, and we drove on from there. I suppose, the win was built on the backs again, they’ve been at that all year, keeping scores down. They did it again Sunday.

“Our total at the weekend is probably the most we’ve gotten all year, but hopefully that bodes well for our next day out.”

It was an impressive display from Castlehaven, all the more so as they’d only had the seven days since winning the Cork title. Was it a wrench, having to put the celebrations on hold?

“We got Sunday and Monday out of it,” said Nolan, “But we knew the game against Drom-Broadford would be as big a game as the county final.

“We said we’d settle down again and we went training Tuesday and Friday night. We flew back into it and it paid off, we got what we wanted out of Sunday.”

Castlehaven face the Waterford champions in the Munster club semi-final on Sunday week. Is Nolan keen to start instead of coming off the bench?

“The lads are flying, I’ll take whatever few minutes I can get. At the end of the day, we’re all putting in the same effort. If you get a jersey you’ve earned it and the lads [management] will have a tough task the next day because everyone will be looking for the start. We’ll fly into it for the next few weeks.

“At the end of the game on Sunday we might have tired a bit, but we had a spring in our step, it was a good way to finish.”