Nemo stand-in skipper Alan O'Donovan vows to lead by example in Luke Connolly’s absence

The Cork champions begin their title defence against Ballincollig.

Fri, 28 Jul, 2023 - 07:30

Andrew Horgan

Luke Connolly’s absence not only leaves Nemo Rangers with a huge hole to fill in their forward line, it also created a vacancy as their captain.

Between his wedding, his honeymoon and the fact he is currently in Australia supporting his sister Megan and the Republic of Ireland at the Women’s World Cup, Luke’s return date was unknown at the launch of the Bons Secours Hospital Cork Football Championships at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Monday.

He could be back sooner than planned given Ireland’s unfortunate early exit from the finals but either way the captain’s armband has already been handed to his teammate.

“I was vice-captain last year. Luke was supposed to go away in January, so they said it to me, and I said, ‘Yeah, grand, I'll do it,” admits Alan O’Donovan.

“Then it turns out Luke ended up staying so I thought they felt they probably couldn't take it off me. I don't really do anything that I haven't done before.

“There's no doubt he (Luke) has been one of the top forwards in the championship the last couple of years and a big, huge player for us. We'll have it all to do to try and replace him.

“I suppose it was the same when I came into the panel, you had guys like [James] Masters and other brilliant players.

“Then they move on and another guy steps up, so I suppose it's just a case that some other lad will get a chance now on Friday night and hopefully they’ll take it.”

So, what type of captain will O’Donovan be then?

“I try to lead by example. I don't say a whole pile at half-time, after the game, before the game.” he confirms.

One of his first tasks as Nemo captain was to return the Andy Scannell Cup that Connolly lifted in his first year as skipper in 2022.

So, has he thought lifting it himself in a few months’ time?

“Absolutely not, that's the furthest thing from my mind now,” he insists.

“We've been beaten by Ballincollig before and you just need to worry about the first game.

“You need two wins to get out of the group I think, so half the battle is to win the first game. That’s all I’m focused on now, really.”

And Ballincollig it is for Nemo on Friday night at Páirc Uí Rinn (throw in 7.30pm) in the opening round of the Cork Premier Senior Football Championship.

With Carrigaline and Éire Óg to follow in their group, O’Donovan is right not to think about collecting a sixth senior medal, although that doesn’t mean he can’t reflect on the previous five, the most recent of which came during his club’s centenary year.

“I suppose they're all satisfying,” he adds.

“You always think you're first one as well, but we definitely enjoyed last year’s. We did alright at stages in the groups. We had a good win against Castlehaven and then Clon played defensively, and we struggled through that game and won by a point.

“Then, we had Carbery Rangers in the quarter-final, they were defensive too and we struggled over that by a point I think as well.

“We were 0-7 to 0-6 up here at half-time against Ballincollig, came out and got a penalty and we kind of pulled away after that but it was still a very tough game. We were probably stuttering and stumbling our way into the final, nearly.

“Then, all the talk was around the Barrs and the double and all of that – that's for other people to talk about. I suppose we played our best game of the year and that was nice, to do that in a final.

“We were shocking then a couple of weeks later against Clonmel, so I don’t know what it is.”