‘They are a seriously good side, but so are we’
FERMOY will take on Kerry’s Kilcummin this Sunday in the club’s biggest game in decades.
Fermoy have been one of the most resilient and consistent sides in Cork over the last number of years without ever really getting the rewards that their golden generation deserved however now, thanks to a season of excellence, a county final shock win and two provincial ties against Galbally and then Moyne-Templetouhy the side find themselves facing Kerry’s Kilcummin for the right to be crowned Munster intermediate football champions.
Fermoy manager Mick Hennessy has been instrumental in guiding his side to one step shy of this particular mountain and will do whatever is in his power to make sure his side are in the best place to take advantage of the situation that awaits.
“We are getting things together now after a hectic time of it. Things are not too bad within the squad. I had a few lads around the other night looking at videos and stuff and everyone is really looking forward to the final.
“We don’t have a clean bill of health, but overall we are happy enough. Ruairi [O’Hagan] is 50/50 for the game and he is a big player for us, but we have Tomás [Clancy] back and that is a plus.
“Paudie Clancy took a knock the last day and we don’t know if he will be able to start or not. That one is up in the air. Brian O’Sullivan is another concern for us after he broke his hand.
“I’d say he is 70/30 against, but hopefully as we get closer things might look a little better. Overall we know this is a squad game and we know that we have strength in dept so if other lads need to be called upon they will do the business.
“The players are in a really good place now and this is a really good place to be around. People have asked me if this is bonus territory for us, but I find that to be a very defeatist attitude to have.
“We are coming to play our game and we are coming to Mallow this Sunday to win. It is as simple as that. The players are the same, regardless of any distractions the players are going to give
this 110% and they are coming to win - to represent their club and their town and do the best they can.”
Playing the Kerry champions was always likely to be the final hurdle that Fermoy would have to cross in this competition and Hennessy is acutely aware that the challenge is great so it should be no surprise to hear that the head tactician will take whatever advantage he can get for Sunday.
“We are delighted that the game is on in Mallow and not somewhere like the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. We know Mallow. We know what we can do there. We know where the wind blows and where it doesn’t and I’ll take that advantage if I can get it.
“We have done a fair bit of work on the opposition as I am sure they have done on us and of course they are a seriously good side, but so are we. We have watched the videos and analysed both them and ourselves and we will go into this game with confidence and hopefully on the day things will go our way.
“You saw last weekend that Charleville pulled off a brilliant win in the hurling and many of our lads would know the Charleville boys well and played against them. We were delighted for them and isn’t it great to see north Cork doing so well.
“We will do our best to make it two Munster final wins for the area.”