Matty Taylor: Mallow looking to right the wrongs of 2020 final defeat

Covid lockdowns meant their 2020 Senior A Championship decider against Éire Óg was played in June, a game they lost by nine points

Matty Taylor in action for Avondhu in 2016

- The Cork Premier SFC final between St Finbarr's and Clonakilty and the Senior 'A' final between St Michael's and Mallow will be live-streamed by the Irish Examiner

Matty Taylor and Mallow haven’t had to wait long for a chance at redemption - and promotion to the top tier or Cork football.

Covid lockdowns meant their 2020 Senior A Championship decider against Éire Óg was played in June.

The final scoreline: Éire Óg 2-13 Mallow 1-7 is still a source of huge regret for Taylor and his colleagues and one that has propelled them straight back to another final on Sunday against St Michael’s in Páirc Uí Chaoihm.

Cork star Taylor admitted: “We really were very disappointed with our performance on the day and we have a lot to prove to ourselves. We owe it to ourselves as individuals and to the management team that has put a lot of work into us.

“That loss to Éire Óg is a big motivator for us – we must right some wrongs. You can’t ignore the past and we would have reviewed that game and taken some learnings from it. Of course we are not perfect but we are striving to be the best we can be and hopefully that will be enough for the final this Sunday.”

Mallow have a fit, physically impressive and committed side and Taylor knows they will need all of those attributes if they are to see off St Michael’s this Sunday.

“We are very big and physically strong around the middle in particular with Darragh (Moynihan) and Eoin (Stanton) two very big men and they are both, the same as everyone else, fiercely committed. We have a hard-working group and that is down to the management as they have pulled in some very good young players. The likes of Sean McDonnell, Shane Merritt, Jack Dillon, Stephen O’Callaghan, to name just a few - there are plenty more. They are all very good players and credit to the manager Keith (Moynihan) he has given these players a platform. Keith asks the lads to express themselves, to just play football and to go out and enjoy. Lads play well in that environment.”

This weekend is another opportunity to make it back to the top table of Cork football however in Mallow’s way stands an opponent very familiar with the business end of the competition.

“St Michaels will bring a new challenge to us. They, like us, have had a real good championship so we will do our homework and hopefully bring out a good performance on the day. We are in the final and that is fantastic but we must bring more to the table if we are to win. It is great to play for your county but it really is nice to come back to your club. The club gives you the platform to perform and these are the guys that I have played with since U7’s. I’m really enjoying club football and I am just looking to the final – it will be a huge day for all of us.”