Piarsaigh eye semi-finals after turning year around

It’s been a topsy-turvy year for Na Piarsaigh.

Defeats by Blackrock and then Youghal in the first two rounds of the county SHC left them with just one last chance, against Killeagh. A win there and subsequently against Bride Rovers now means they are just one game away from repeating last year’s semi-final appearance.

Newtownshandrum oppose the city side in Sunday’s quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (2.30pm) and Piarsaigh manager James O’Connor admits they have felt the pressure at times during the campaign.

“The performance against Youghal was one of the worst of our lives,” he says, “and then we were up against it going out to play Killeagh, knowing if we lost we’d be in the relegation final.

“Beating Killeagh that night was just a huge relief, we weren’t even thinking about progressing in the championship at that stage, it was just about surviving really. It’s an awful experience, I’d feel sorry for anybody going through it!”

On paper, the Na Piarsaigh side is a formidable one. Former Cork senior stars Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and John Gardiner lead a group still there since their last county win, in 2004, while current Rebel Christopher Joyce is emblematic of the younger brigade.

O’Connor admits to frustration with how the year has gone to date, especially as his first two campaigns in charge showed a distinct pattern of gradual improvement.

“To be honest, we’ve been very inconsistent all year,” he said.

“For the first two years I was in charge, we were very consistent. We got a quarter-final that year – we had a great win against Newtown after a replay – and then last year we got to the semi-finals. In the league, too, we were going well both of those years, we got to the semi-finals in 2012 and then won it last year. This year, we haven’t had that consistency and it’s been a big problem, we’ve won six and lost six in the league.

“One day we go out and we’re flying and scoring freely, but then the next day nothing goes right. It’s hard to put a finger on it really. I suppose we’ve had a lot more injuries than other years and haven’t been able to settle.”

And yet, they are still standing and in with a chance in what is a very open championship. With no injury concerns ahead of Sunday, O’Connor is relishing the challenge.

“It does get better at this time of year,” he said.

“Earlier in the summer, we had fellas in America and guys doing exams, you’d be training with only 18 or 19 on a night. We’ve had 30 fellas there every night for the last few weeks, it makes a huge difference, there’s more of a buzz around the place.

“After such an up-and-down year, when we go out on the field on Sunday there’s only six teams left in the championship so that focuses fellas.

“Every game from here on is down to who performs on the day. It’s about who turns up, the team that won six league games or the team that lost six league games.”