Expect Nemo know-how to tell on big day once more

Robbie O'Dywer's side look to dethrone champions St Finbarr's on Sunday. 

Luke Horgan in action for Nemo against Carrigaline last time out. Picture: Larry Cummins

The opening paragraph from last weekend’s hurling preview can nearly be copy and pasted in here such was the opening day flatness of Nemo and the Barrs, and the consequent uncertainty of either ending up in the final pairing.

Where the Newcestown setback brought Nemo “back down to earth”, according to Bríain Murphy, Ian Maguire described the Barrs’ second pool stage reverse to Mallow as a “watershed moment” for the spluttering champions.

Group phase similarities went beyond uncharacteristic defeats. Nemo had to overcome injuries to Mark Cronin, Bryan Hayes, Conor Horgan, Barry Cripps, and Colin Molloy. All bar Cripps are now back at the coalface.

The Barrs were without Conor Dennehy for all three outings, Dylan Quinn for the first two, and had to start without Brian Hayes against Mallow, a defeat where Maguire did not feature at all.

The Barrs' subsequent quarter-final rout of Carbery was restorative. Following them onto the field at Clonakilty was Nemo. Their three-point win over Castlehaven was “massive” for a group that hadn’t beaten a fellow big three member since 2022. Its timing was equally significant.

The same as the hurling final, one team arrives into Páirc Uí Chaoimh off the back of consistent, across-the-board displays. The other - the crowd in blue - have clicked only sporadically and have been more reliant on the stardust of a select few individuals, namely Sherlock, Maguire, and Hayes. Rickey Barrett merits mention too given his semi-final 1-1 and winning both of Sherlock’s two-point frees.

One week on from hurling final defeat, and facing into their 12th county championship game across both codes, where are the bodies and minds of Hayes, William Buckley, Ciarán Doolin, John Wigginton Barrett, Rickey Barrett, and Jamie Burns?

Already minus Billy Hennessy this season, the Barrs defence will be further weakened if either Alan O’Connor or Dylan Quinn fail to recover from their semi-final injuries.

Irrespective of form, a psychological trump card for Brian Roche’s physically imposing side is having held off their southside rivals in the decider of 12 months ago.

Nemo’s fit and flying pair of Bryan Hayes and Ross Corkery contributed 1-9 to the Haven takedown. The semi-final was far less kind. Both were whipped well before the end. It served to dampen expectations surrounding the young duo entering Sunday. The setting is thus ripe for them to again cut loose.

Nemo had never lost three consecutive county finals until last year. They’ve never lost four on the spin. They are surely done with such suffering. Can their technical nous and trademark patience on the ball take them beyond the bridesmaid role of recent times?

Verdict: Nemo Rangers