O’Brien regrets missed chances

An inability to take scoring chances in the second half was a key factor in Nemo Rangers’ defeat, according to manager Steven O’Brien.

The city side went scoreless from the 33rd to 56th minutes while Castlehaven landed six consecutive points, turning a two-point deficit into a four-point advantage.

“There was very little between the teams,” O’Brien said.

“We started well and they came back, we pulled away again and they came back again, fair play to them.

“There was a 10-minute period in the second half where we had about six scoreable chances but we didn’t get any of them.

“That was our opportunity to stay with them, because when they got the chance then they took their scores.

“We came back at the end but I felt that we had missed our chance when we missed those opportunities.”

O’Brien also pinpointed Brian Hurley’s three-point salvo just before half-time as having a crucial bearing. Those scores meant that just a point separated the teams at the interval, Nemo having led by 1-8 to 0-7 following Alan Cronin Snr’s goal.

“We were after getting the goal and we were four points up,” he said.

“Those three points brought them right back into it. Earlier on, we had been 0-5 to 0-2 up and they came back. It just shows what a good team they are.

“Then, we they got the run on us they took their chances and we couldn’t stick with them. That was the killer,.”

This was O’Brien’s first year in charge of the senior side, who were playing in a first final since 2010.

While this may prove to be a stepping stone for a side with a lot of young players, the former Cork captain saw that as little consolation.

“Possibly it’ll be something to build on,” he said, “but we were here to win .

“To be honest, we’re disgusted that we lost. We had our chances and we didn’t take them, that’s the way it is with sport.”