Nemo as final underdogs? 'We just loved it and trained like dogs' says Kevin O’Donovan

Rangers dethroned city rivals St Finbarr's at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. 

embraceable you: Nemo Rangers manager Paul O'Donovan and selectors celebrate. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Being touted as underdogs for their latest Bon Secours Cork PSFC county final appearance spurred Nemo Rangers on before deservedly claiming the Andy Scannell cup.

Kevin O’Donovan played his part in Rangers’ county final triumph in front of over 10,000 supporters, a match the Nemo defender admitted his team mates trained like dogs for.

“It feels unbelievable as the work put in there over the last few weeks has been incredible,” O’Donovan said.

“We were reading a lot of things about being the underdogs coming into this game. We just loved it and trained like dogs over the last few weeks. I’m so happy for everyone involved that all the hard work paid off today. I’m delighted.

“Conor’s goal was crucial. All year, playing blanket defences was very tough but we knew coming into today that we would play football and the Barrs would play football. Our backs had to go one-on-one with Sherlock, Hayes and Myers-Murray. We knew our forwards would be going one-on-one as well. Luke, Conor and Mark got in today at the start.

“This (county) one is unbelievable. Having it under lights and everything only adds to it. The crowd and the noise was electric towards the end. This final was up there with the best of them. Unbelievable.” 

Paul Kerrigan, who has won it all at both inter-county and club level, was delighted to make an appearance and play his part in his club’s latest success.

“I am not just saying it because of emotion or anything but this is probably my favourite county (success),” the former Cork inter-county star stated.

“This year, I have probably trained the most I have ever trained with Nemo. I played the least amount of time in the final but I can say that this final and winning it is the best one.

“I think that this particular group of players have been written off even though it is our fifth county in eight years? We had a famine in the 1990s but this group are an unbelievable bunch. We trained four nights a week all year, early morning stuff. It paid off today. We needed every ounce of it as the Barrs are a great team and have been great champions.” 

FAMILY AFFAIR: Nemo Rangers Paul Kerrigan, his son Billy and his father Jimmy after defeating St Finbarr's. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

 For winning manager Paul O’Donovan, the tests Nemo Rangers passed en route to this year’s county final and the manner in which his team ran out winners made it an extra-special achievement.

“The Barrs are a super side, we have huge respect for them and we knew that they would come out and play today,” the Nemo manager said.

“They defended at times, we defended at times but both teams went at it. I thought it was a ding-dong final. We were eleven points up at one stage of the second half and then they got two goals to bring it back into the melting pot.

“We were hanging on for a while at the end but hung on and got over the line in the end. A massive effort has been put in this year. We are going three times a week since January and four times a week since April.

“We took one week off in the middle but no one missed a week, not one, other than that. The effort put in by the players and my management team has been more than I have ever witnessed before in this club.” 

 The last word goes to Rangers’ captain and mercurial talent Luke Connolly who lit up Páirc Uí Chaoimh with some sensational individual scores. Yet, by Connolly’s own admission, it was Nemo’s selfless team ethic that was most crucial when it came to reclaiming the Andy Scannell cup.

“It is an incredibly easy group to captain because there are some exceptional players and leaders in this group,” Connolly stated.

“I mean, we are able to bring on the likes of Paul Kerrigan in a county final and he was pivotal to us. I am lifting that trophy on behalf of the 37 or 38 players who togged out this year. Our management team have been exceptional too.

“We will celebrate and drink it in. It is our third county in four years. So, this group has achieved something special. In this club, we pride ourselves on how we perform outside of Cork. You saw the Barrs and being a kick of a ball away from an All-Ireland club final last year.”