Beating Nemo in a county final... it doesn't get sweeter for the Barrs

It’s finally over as St Finbarr’s poor record against Nemo Rangers in the senior football championship comes to an end in the most dramatic of fashions.

They had never beaten the Trabeg side in the final and have only one senior championship win over them in 36 years, back in 2012.

That’s a record they were hoping would end on Sunday and into injury time, it looked like it Was going to take another day to separate the sides when Conor Horgan hit a two-pointer to level the tie.

But Cillian Myers Murray, son of their famed player Fionan, had different ideas as he wrote his own little bit of history.

He kicked the winning point, and it many ways it was apt to see him do so, following in the footsteps of his father who has done so much for the club over the years.

Their family is steeped in the club and when they look back in time on the record books they can do so knowing what they have done for their club.

But, of course, there is far more to this win that just Myers Murray’s late score. From start to finish the Barrs battled for every ball against a Nemo side that also created their own little bit of history – but in a way no side wants.

They have now lost three finals in a row, something you don’t get to say too often about any side, not to mind Nemo.

But they will look back at this and know they had their chances to at the very least get a draw. A bit like Cork in the All-Ireland hurling final, their second-half display was not near their high standards.

That can be put down to the efforts of the Barrs, but also they will know that hitting eight wides, some of the relatively easy scoring ones, is not good enough at this level. They will regret that, but have no doubt Nemo will be back again, they are never far away every year.

BLISTERING

But Sunday belonged to the Barrs and their blistering start to the second half was key to their win.

Trailing by two points at half time they turned that into a four-point lead before Nemo scored in the second half.

That impressive turnaround can be put down to a number of factors.

Ian Maguire and Brian Hayes took over at midfield and Enda Dennehy, who came on after the break, also started to win ball.

The goal, after 33 minutes, was started in midfield by Hayes and he was on the end of the move to palm the ball home, to put them two points up and from here they never looked like losing.

It took Nemo 16 minutes to score and that was from a free and their second point was also from a free. It wasn’t until the 61st minute that they managed to score from play, most unlike Nemo.

Again the Barrs have to take credit here as defensively they were superb. Sam Ryan and Dylan Quinn have suffered their fair share of injuries over the last few years and don’t underestimate how important it was to have them back in their line-up, especially for the final.

BALANCE

Aside from the players on the pitch two men stood side by side on the sideline watching every play and making crucial interventions when needed.

Having one of the greatest players to have ever played in Jimmy Barry Murphy as a selector is something that any club would love to have.

Beside him was Tomás Manning, a young man in comparison, but also someone who has been involved with Cork hurling and ladies football teams over the last 10 years or so. The North Mon teacher is a passionate Barrs man and you can be rest assured their influence was massive on this win.

So the cup heads back to Togher. It’s always sweet to win the championship, but to beat Nemo and end that wait will make it all the sweeter.

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