Cronin knows the challenge that awaits, now it's about Nemo finding their peak

Former county star Stephen Cronin remains crucial to the Nemo cause.

Fri, 25 Oct, 2024 - 07:07

Therese O’Callaghan

Familiar faces will meet in Sunday’s Cork Premier SFC showdown. It is the second year in-a-row Nemo Rangers and Castlehaven collide in the final, and the fifth time since 2013 - the titles stand at two apiece.

The most recent; Castlehaven edged by two points.

“You know what you’re getting,” says Stephen Cronin, a four-time senior county medalist with Nemo Rangers.

“There are so many good players throughout their team. You have the Cahalanes - and Jack especially is on fire this year - I’m presuming Damien and Conor will be alright to play. Mark Collins, the Maguires, the Hurleys. They’ve beaten every team they’ve played against by a comfortable score. You’d have to be very impressed by them to be fair.

“Last year it was a close game throughout, there was never more than a couple of points either way, I’d say the two points at the end was nearly the highest.”

Nemo won their group phase by an average of five points. The penalty shootout with Clonakilty followed.

“It was a weird one. I’d never been involved in a penalty shootout before in GAA and not taking one, you’re just standing around. I’d say if we’d lost, I wouldn’t have realised it until later on. It’s a bit subdued, unless you are taking a penalty, you’re kind of watching on. Fair play to the five lads that went up and stuck them.

“That game was all about getting over the line.

“We probably haven’t been setting the world alight in any game, you’d want to be playing better.”

Mallow was next on October 13, it was Stephen's 29th birthday.

“I know people were saying it was their first time in 20 years being in a semi-final and that they had a free shot, but they beat the Barrs. I would have played against a lot of them and with them in Cork minor and U21.

"They are a very good team, outside of Matty Taylor who is obviously an excellent player. Ryan Harkin, Seán Hayes, they would have been the best players underage.”

The former county star remains crucial to the Nemo cause, his brothers Mark and Alan too. There's a few new names as well.

“The three of us would have played together from 2018 until 2020, then Alan moved to London, so it was just myself and Mark the last couple of years. But Alan is back, and he has come on a couple of times.

“Eoin Nation has come in this year, he put his hand up straight away. He’s probably been our best player through the league, he would have been playing intermediate the last few years. Whenever somebody retires, there is always an opportunity for somebody else.

Nemo defender Stephen Cronin. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

“Oisin Whyte played a lot of games earlier on in the year, he stepped up in the half-forward line. Ross Corkery as well.

“It’s a great problem to have, fellas coming through. The same as Castlehaven, they’ve one or two new ones as well. The majority is obviously the same in both teams, those elements of new players it is nice to have them coming through.”

Nemo Rangers are also contesting a ladies football final this weekend, and the junior footballers are in the Seandún final. It’s creating a real buzz.

Last weekend it was the junior hurlers, Stephen was one of six dual players that lost to Russell Rovers.

“The main thing is rest and recovery. There is not a lot you can do training wise this week, it can only be very light, the same last week. You’ve done all the hard work, it is only about being fresh. We’ve been doing it for the last 10 or 12 weeks really. We did it last year. We won the hurling and it was a great finish to the year after the disappointment of the football.”

Could it be the reverse this time? It's when every team wants to peak.

“You’d hope so. If you manage to keep winning games by just getting over the line, that is not a bad complaint either. As long as you are not saying, we didn’t show up and we lost. There is probably a lot of disappointment if you don’t show up. You go out with the same intention and you’ve done the best preparation but sometimes it doesn’t happen for you. The ball bounces the other way, you need a bit of luck.

“It will take 100 percent from everybody, and 20 or 21 players. You look at how good Castlehaven are and the subs they are bringing on - Micheal Maguire and Conor O'Driscoll and them - it is definitely going to need a whole panel and a whole effort from everybody.”