ARCHIVES: Eamon Sweeney's article in the Cork Examiner on the 13th of September 2000 after the Junior Hurling County Final

Nemo Rangers triumph in epic final battle

Nemo Rangers 2-8 Ballinhassig 1-10

Author: Eamon Sweeney

THE final ten minutes of this Cork Junior Hurling Championship final played at Pairc Ui Caoimh certainly furnished irrefutable evidence of the competitive instinct that makes Nemo Rangers so special.

The teams were tied going into that crucial period and it was to be desire, rather than skill, that was to decide the outcome.

That Nemo were the team who wanted it most is, on the face of it, surprising.

Ballinhassig are the kind of small country team who are expected to have the edge over bigger sides when it comes to fighting spirit.

And clubs don't come much bigger than Nemo.

Nemo fielded a team packed with players who've won a myriad of honours over the past decade.

Nevertheless it was the likes of Martin Cronin, Stephen O'Brien and Stephen Calnan, as well as outstanding corner-backs Eddie O'Leary and Jamie Griffin, who were scrapping for loose ball as if their lives depended on it.

The fact that this was one of the few titles not won by the Capwell club obviously rankled.

All the hard slogging was rewarded in the last minute. With the teams still deadlocked, John Coogan floated a free from deep in his own half into the danger area and sub David Niblock made a superb catch, held off three sturdy challenges and steered the ball over the bar from thirty yards.

It was a fitting finale and proof that winning is a habit which can transcend codes and grades.

It was hard, indeed, not to feel some degree of sympathy for the South East champions.

This championship will join a lengthy Nemo roll of honour whereas the cupboard is looking relatively bare at Ballinhassig.

The way in which they fought back from an awful start suggests that better days may be around the corner for this exciting young side.

Nemo led 1-6 to 0-7 at half-time.

Scorers: Nemo Rangers: M. Cotter (1-3, 1-1 frees), S Calnan (1-2), J McGovern (0-2), D Niblock (0-1).

Ballinhassig: D. Duggan (1-2, 0-1 free), B. O'Sullivan (0-3, 0-2 fss), J Mullaney (0-2), S McCarty (0-1), J. O'Sullivan (0-1), D. Lombard (0-1).

NEMO RANGERS: S. Corkery, E O'Leary, D. Heaphy, J. Griffin, N. Geary, J. Coogan, T. Morgan, D. Creedon, M. Morgan, J. Masters, M. Cronin, M. Cotter, S. Calnan, A. Cronin, W. Morgan.
Subs: S. O'Brien for M. Morgan, D. Niblock for W. Morgan

BALLINHASSIG: M. Colemam, S. McCarthy, M. Cussen, B. O'Sullivan, J. Ahern, B. Lombard, D. Healy, C. Hogan, J. Mullaney, S. McCarthy, D. Dineen, J. O'Sullivan, T. Coleman, D. Duggan, D. Lombard
Subs: D. McCarthy, K. O'Sullivan.

Referee: C. McAlister (Midleton)