Kevin McCarthy on Carrigaline's rise and chasing history against Nemo Rangers

Having finished the group stages as the Premier SFC top seeds, unbeaten Carrigaline must take out Nemo to reach a first top-tier final

READY FOR THE BIG STAGE: Kieran McCarthy, Carrigaline, at the semi-final launch in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh: Picture: Chani Anderson

That Carrigaline are the only team to come through the group stage of the Cork Premier SFC with a 100% record speaks volumes. Consecutive wins over reigning county champions St Finbarr’s, Mallow and Douglas gave them automatic last four qualification.

It all adds up to a historic milestone for Michael Meaney’s charges. Significant for lots of reasons, not alone because it will be their first semi-final appearance in this grade, but if they do go on and claim outright honours, they will be the first club outside of St Finbarr’s, Nemo Rangers and Castlehaven to raise the Andy Scannell Cup since Carbery Rangers in 2016.

But of course, there can’t be any talk of this unless they first get past Nemo Rangers in Saturday evening’s SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh showdown (5.15pm).

For starters, let’s go back to that Friday night in July and the two-point defeat of county champions St Finbarr’s that got the ball rolling and caused a big upset at the Ballinhassig venue.

In hindsight though, maybe the signs were already there as Carrigaline had won the inaugural Paudie Palmer Memorial Trophy, in the Division 2 league final against Uibh Laoire, a couple of weeks previously.

“We knew we had to come out strong,” Kieran McCarthy recalls. “This was a tough game but we got over the line in the end, by two points I think. Last year we had the Barrs in Páirc Uí Rinn and we got battered, to say the least [2-23 to 0-10].

“On to Mallow, again a strong physical team like ourselves. We got over them as well, which was good.

ON THE RISE: Thomas Egan and John Wiggington Barrett, St Finbarr's, rise high with Patrick Mellett and Jack McCarthy, Carrigaline, in the opening round in July at Ballinhassig. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

“Douglas then, we knew going into it we should be safe enough, but if we lost by four we could have been gone at the same time. You wouldn’t be going into the game thinking we need a win and get straight to the semi-final. You’d be going in thinking we will get a result, a win will do us. I suppose we had in the back of our minds as well that if we win we should be in the semis and it worked out well for us.” 

A pair of points to spare against St Finbarr’s, a pair again against Mallow, and a seven-point cushion against Douglas left them frontrunners in Group 1, and it guaranteed them that very important top seed.

Proving that a rising tide does lift all boats, an extended run was enjoyed in the Premier intermediate hurling championship, and they reached the concluding stages of numerous adult and underage competitions.

“We’re in the Premier Senior semi-final, our juniors are in the final, the ladies as well, and our minors won (Premier 1 minor football championship) and we made the hurling semi-final.

The club is going in the right direction, it is a very historic time and it is going well at the moment.

“We have a lot of dual players and they feed off of each other. We’re flying.” 

The four-week break can be used as an opportunity to watch and wait while the quarter-finals are being decided. But the flip side is lack of match-practice.

“It is tough,” he says. “Then again, you get your break, you know who you’re playing. We saw Nemo beating Castlehaven. We’re just training away and playing a few friendlies.

Kieran McCarthy, Carrigaline, tackling Rory Maguire, Castlehaven. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

“Last year’s quarter-final was our downfall against Newcestown, it went to penalties and we lost. So it’s good to go straight through and take the four weeks and know who you are playing.” 

Prepared

Nemo are gathering serious momentum and are the leaders when it comes to Cork championship football. Runners-up in the last three finals, but it's their impressive roll of honour that tells the real story. McCarthy recognises their incredible tradition, but remains unfazed.

“At the end of the day, when you get to the semi-finals, you’re going to have to play a good team eventually. I know we played the Barrs, but you have to beat everyone if you want to win it.” 

County senior Brian O’Driscoll joined the club a couple of years ago, and a player of his calibre would be a bonus to any team. Teamwork is the key, it's a group effort.

“We are a very tall, strong physical team. 

I don’t think you could say we have a negative side to any of our play. Everyone does what they need to do.

“The progress we’ve made builds us as a team and as a whole, as I said everyone winning in the club, we’re buzzing.” 

It amounts to a momentous day for the squad from the south-east division of Carrigdhoun and it comes a mere two years after being crowned Senior A champions.

It will be a day of remembrance too for their beloved Darragh King, who passed away last spring.