BY SEÁN HOLLAND
EOGHAN Collins knows preparation is key to success – and that’s why the victorious Newcestown captain had written a few words in the hope he would get to lift the cup after the Cork senior A hurling championship final replay.
As it turned out, with Newcestown beating Blarney, he had his script ready to go for his captain’s acceptance speech.
‘I had a bit prepared alright, I wouldn’t be the best man to go off the cuff,’ Collins told this week’s Star Sport Podcast.
Playing a county final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh is as big a day as you could ask as a club GAA player in Cork, and Collins and Co had the experience of the drawn decider (0-19 to 1-16) to lean on ahead of the replay.
‘We were definitely a lot more nervous the first day because for most of us it was our first adult final. The fact we had to play in Páirc Uí Chaoimh didn’t affect us considering we had played there in the quarter-final and semi-final but going into a game against Blarney when they’ve the big names like Mark Coleman, Paudie Power and Shane Barrett you would be worried alright but thankfully enough it worked out in the end for us,’ Collins said, as he reflected on the drawn game two weeks earlier.
‘We had chances to win it but they did too, to be fair. I don’t think we hit what we should’ve hit that day. As you saw, the second day we needed to get goals to win the game. In county finals you really need to get goals to win. That was the main difference between the two games,’ Collins explained.
What was the mood in the dressing-room like after the drawn game?
‘We were a little bit disappointed because we knew we didn’t play as well as we could. We left a lot of chances behind us. I think fellas were a lot more mentally prepared going into the second final in knowing what we had to do to win the game,’ said Collins, who will never forget the day he lifted the cup for his home club.
‘It’s what you dream of! Back in 2015, I think I was in first or second year in school and seeing that it was always something you wanted to do is lift the cup for Newcestown and thankfully that’s what I got to do,’ he said.
As they now prepare for a potential historic double, Collins insists it’s back to business for the Newcestown lads.
‘Back to training this week, we only got one or two days out of the celebrations. It would be unbelievable to win both hurling and football counties. It will be tough because obviously the Dohenys are a very good side but hopefully that goes our way as well.’
