Cork SFC: Fourth time lucky for Nemo Rangers

Nemo Rangers 1-19 St Finbarr's 2-12 Nemo Rangers are the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Senior Football champions for the first time since 2022 after edging passed rivals St Finbarr’s in front of 7,054 spectators at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. This comes on the back of three consecutive final defeats, with this victory going down as the club’s 24th overall success. Managed by Robbie O’Dwyer – son of Kerry legend Mick – Nemo got the job done with a performance that saw eight different scorers and Mark Cronin top the charts with eight points. Nemo never trailed against the defending champions, despite a late rally involving goals from Brian Hayes and John Wigginton Barrett reducing the gap down to the bare minimum. The kingpins of Cork football did more than survive in the final moments. They were cool in possession and clinical up front as they found four points to get them over the line in injury time. This was endemic of a statement performance that saw the club storm in front at 0-7 to no score. Mark Cronin contributed four points, including an orange flag into the Blackrock End in the 14th minute. The Barr’s slowly found a way back with a late surge seeing the defending champions outscore their near rivals 0-5 to 0-1. Wigginton Barrett and Enda Dennehy got two each and William Buckley got one with Mark Cronin retaliating for Nemo. The scorer turned creator in the dying seconds of the half with a long ball forward that dropped for brother Stephen at the back post. The Nemo captain palmed it down for Luke Horgan to goal on the stroke of half-time, making it 1-8 to 0-5. The game restarted with St Finbarr’s Enda Dennehy and Luke Hannigan cutting the gap down to four at 1-8 to 0-7. Nemo replied with a run that saw Conor Shalloe, Bryan Hayes, and Alan O’Donovan split the posts as the club went further in front at 1-11 to 0-7. Briain Murphy kept momentum going with a two pointer that sailed over, a moment that seemed to mark their coronation at 1-13 to 0-8. A frantic moment in front of the posts in the 45th minute changed the script as Brian Hayes was able to get free and drill the ball in, with the green flag that cut the gap to five at 1-13 to 1-8. Cillian Myers Murray was able to score a two pointer during St Finbarr’s next attack, to make it 1-13 to 0-10 with 14 minutes left to play. Nemo hit back with a Mark Cronin free and a solitary effort from play by Ronan Dalton. The Barr’s went one better with 1-1 struck from a close range Wigginton Barrett goal and a Myres Murray point. Nemo remained in front at 1-15 to 2-11. The soon to be champions never panicked. They simply kept possession and raised four more white flags to secure the win and bring the Andy Scannell Cup to the South Douglas Road for winter. Nemo Rangers: Micheál Aodh Martin; Colin Molloy, Mark Hill, Kieran Histon; Kevin O’Donovan, Stephen Cronin, Jack Horgan; Alan O’Donovan (0-2), Briain Murphy (0-2, 1 2pt); Mark Cronin (0-8, 1 2pt, 5f), Luke Horgan (1-0), Conor Shalloe (0-1); Ross Corkery (0-1), Ronan Dalton (0-3), Bryan Hayes (0-2). Subs: Neville O’Se for Jack Horgan (45); Conor Horgan for Shalloe (49), Dara O’Sullivan for Luke Horgan (54) St Finbarr’s: Darragh Newman; Conor Dennehy, Luke Hannigan (0-1), Sam Ryan; Colm Scully, Dylan Quinn, Ciaran Doolan; Ian Maguire (0-1), Brian Hayes (1-0); Thomas Egan, William Buckley (0-2), Enda Dennehy (0-3); John Wigginton Barrett (1-2), Rickey Barrett, Steven Sherlock. Subs: Cillian Myers Murray (0-3, 1 2pt) for Egan (38); Fionn Crowley for Conor Denney (47), Bill O’Connell for Scully (60), Referee: David Murnane (Macroom)