“We have balance and a brilliant bunch of lads. We are strong in every position and we’re playing well”
MALLOW’S backroom team will have their own perspective on what the season has meant so far to the players that take to the field but from a player’s point of view it is always going to be that little bit different.
Of course both groups are thrilled to be playing in the PIHC decider this weekend and both have put in plenty of work over the last three years or so to get the chance to go senior – that said it is always going to be that bit different looking at things through the eyes of one of those stars wearing the masks.
“It is just an unbelievable feeling to have finally got to the final” according to team captain Fionn O’Neill. “We have all done so much over the years and we have had to come back from two difficult defeats in the last two years but finally we got to the final.
“We know what Kanturk will bring and we all know the names but there is much more to them than the three big names (Lorcán McLoughlin, Aidan Walsh and Anthony Nash). The same can be said for us. We have balance and a brilliant bunch of lads. We are strong in every position and we are playing well.”
While O’Neill is unlikely to be identifying the strengths in too much detail he was not afraid to single out one player on his team for special mention. “Cormac (Murphy) will obviously be huge for us. He is a wonderful talent. Some of the scores he gets are sensational but also some of the things he does at training just leave you standing there. I usually get the pleasure of trying to mark him in training and it really does help me as a player. He is electric and a great man too.”
O’Neill is following in some big family footsteps heading into this clash.
“My grandfather and granduncle played on the 1972 team and it would be great for me to be able to emulate them. Mallow is a great club with some brilliant people involved and we are going to be playing for all of them as much as we will be for ourselves.”
There is no doubt that O’Neill will lead his troops into the biggest game of their lives on Saturday night however the men he leads need to stand tall behind him and in the case of Mallow that won’t be a problem.
SEASONED campaigner Donal Relihan will be one of those that may see this game as his last chance to go senior so leaving anything in the dressing room is never likely to be on the cards.
“We have done really well to get here and will do whatever we can to win” stated the 38year old talent. “We were never that far away in recent times. You would always look to see what happened to those sides that beat you and in the case of Newcestown two years ago they went on to beat Valley Rovers and we took plenty from that. Again last year you couldn’t help but be proud of what we achieved and to lose to Bandon was tough but again look what they have achieved senior this year. You have to take positives from that.
“We know that Kanturk play good hurling and we know it will be tough with little between the sides but we have a great chance. All our performances weren’t great this year, particularly in the league but we put the emphasis on the Championship this year and tried to give fellows game time in the league.”
While the game on Saturday night is hugely important to all concerned Relihan also feels that this is a potential catalyst for local hurling in the future.
“This game is a great chance for us to improve hurling in the club, the town and with the kids. Nothing works better than silverware when you’re looking to get kids into the game and we have our chance against what is a very good Kanturk side.”
Both O’Neill and Relihan will wear the Mallow jersey with pride this weekend and if both get their way just maybe they can get the hurling gods to favour red and yellow.