ARCHIVES: Cork Examiner, Monday, December 21 1970 - 1969 Kelleher Shield Final

Barrs were outclassed by Nemo

Nemo Rangers 4-8 St. Finbarr’s 0-6

Author: Michael Morgan

Nemo Rangers achieved their first success in the Kelleher Shield competition when they decisively defeated St. Finbarr’s by a very comfortable margin of four goals and two points in the 1969 final of this senior football contest at the Athletic Grounds yesterday.

Nemo, having defeated the Barrs in the championship, were favourites to take the Shield, and they certainly endorsed that opinion on the scoreboard. Having leveled early in the first half, they held a one-point lead at the interval, which they conceded in the second half. However, they then regained their ground and when they again took the lead, there was never any doubt about what the outcome would be.

Apart from the wide margin the victors enjoyed, the game never reached a climax, and both sides were guilty of appalling mistakes, which resulted in numerous missed scoring opportunities. Generally, however, Nemo were far superior, and their shrewd tactical maneuvers gave them the advantage of having unmarked men at vital points of the game who did not fail to capitalise on the opportunities, which all too often their opponents wasted.

St. Finbarr’s, who had Kearney midfield but lacked power in the attack, took an early lead in the first quarter when Gene McCarthy punched the ball over for a point. By the seventh minute, the sides were level, and Jimmy Barrett put Nemo ahead with a point. From then until the interval whistle, the game was uneventful, and the pattern was one of missed opportunities and a very low standard of football. At halftime, Nemo were leading 1-2 to 0-4.

On the turnover, Nemo took the offensive and increased their lead in the second minute and went further ahead as if it might become more exciting. The game fell back into the same pattern of errors by both sides. However, it did take a turn for the better when Denis Allen, Nemo, made a great break and hit the netting with a beautifully taken shot.

Seconds later, the ball again hit the upright, but this time Billy Cogan raced through and sent it over for a point. Incredibly, the ball hit the upright for a third time, bouncing back into play in front of the goalmouth and was booted to the back of the net.

Then in the last ten minutes of the game, Nemo added two more goals to their tally, to bring to an end a match that was scrappy, dull, and of a very low standard.

Scorers:
Nemo Rangers – S. McGann 2-1, D. Barrett and N. Morgan 1-0 each, J. Barrett 0-4, B. Cogan 0-3

St. Finbarr’s - S. Gillen 0-3, G. McCarthy, C. Roche and C. Cullinane 0-1 each.

Teams:
Nemo Rangers: B. Morgan, R. Twomey, E. Brophy, B. Murphy, F. Cogan, S. Buckley, J. O’Leary, D. Barrett, M. O’Donoghue, D. Cogan, J. Barrett, B. Cogan, D. Allen, S. McGann, N. Morgan.

St. Finbarr’s: F. McCarthy, M. Horgan, F. Cronin, M. McCormack, M. Bohane, A. Maher, G. Harrington, M. Fleming, F. Twomey, N. Aherne, C. Cullinane, P. McMahon, C. Roche, Gene McCarthy, S. Gillen. Substitutes: P. Lougheed for Twomey, J. Hegarty for Cullinane.

Referee: F. Halbert.