Mulcahy: We have to finish the job

Cork IT manager Pat Mulcahy says the scalp of UCC will count for nothing if his charges fail to secure the college’s maiden Fitzgibbon Cup title today.

WIT stand in their path, having surprised favourites LIT, and Mulcahy admitted to knowing little about Colm Bonnar’s outfit.

“It was a massive challenge coming up to play UCC, the two-in-a-row defending champions, but we’ve won nothing yet. That is the thing with Fitzgibbon, semi-final wins count for nothing if you don’t go out the next day and get a second result in the final.

“We will reassess tonight and tomorrow morning. We have to focus on WIT and we don’t know anything about them. We only saw a small bit of extra-time from their game. WIT are well used to winning Fitzgibbon Cups, they have won four since 2002 under Colm Bonnar. He is an unbelievably shrewd manager.

“In 2003 we beat UCC in the semi-final but lost to WIT in the final so we are well aware of the job at hand.”

WIT centre-forward Pauric Mahony, the contributor of 0-16 in their semi-final victory, said overcoming tired limbs will be central to their final bid (throw-in 4.45pm).

“We will have to get a good recovery in. That was a tough hard game, a tough 80 minutes of hurling. Rest will be vital for tomorrow,” he noted.

Manager Colm Bonnar added: We hadn’t booked a hotel for tonight so we have to rebook the hotel. That is first on the agenda. We will then focus on tomorrow. The players are in great form. They were hugely disappointed last year that they didn’t get to the final and will be equally disappointed if they don’t go on and finish the job. Finals are there to be won and it is going to be another massive battle.”