BY SEÁN HOLLAND
AHEAD of the much-anticipated showdown between Dohenys and O'Donovan Rossa in the Cork senior A football championship in Rossmore on Sunday (2pm), there’s a palpable sense of nostalgia for what many consider a return to ‘old-school’ championship football.
With both teams locked together on two points, after each registering a win over Fermoy, the two Carbery sides will clash in a win-or-go-home decider, evoking the kind of stakes that have been part of the traditional knock-out structure for decades.
Dohenys do have the benefit of knowing a draw will be sufficient but that doesn’t take away from the anticipation of this clash of West Cork footballing giants.
Dohenys manager Declan O'Dwyer is well aware of the magnitude of the game, describing it as a ‘proper championship game’ where everything is on the line.
‘You lose, you're out. Win and you're through. It's back to that,’ O'Dwyer said. ‘Everything’s on the line. Your season either continues two weeks later in the quarter-final or you're done for the year. It's a massive, massive game.’
O'Dwyer emphasised the significance of the upcoming fixture, acknowledging the limited preparation time but expressing confidence in his squad's readiness.
‘It's a massive day, so we'll try and prepare this week after the hurling. We haven’t had many sessions with the lads since the Fermoy game. But look, we're happy enough with where we're at. Just hopefully we get it done on the day,’ he said.
Reflecting on the road to this crucial game, O'Dwyer seemed satisfied with Dohenys' progression so far. There was the opening loss to Kanturk, 0-17 to 0-15, before the Dunmanway men regrouped to beat Fermoy 1-13 to 1-8, and put themselves in control of their own destiny – Dohenys know what they need to do against O’Donovan Rossa on Sunday.
This game brings back memories of past encounters between the two sides, especially in the 2021 and 2022 seasons when they traded wins.
‘2021 in Drimoleague was a great game. It was my first year in charge’, O'Dwyer recalled. ‘We came off a bad loss against Ballingeary, so we had to win. It was a good game. We were very happy that day. Then the year after in Bantry, Skibb were better that day. Here we go again now.’
Although both teams are familiar with each other, the dynamics have shifted somewhat due to injuries and absences.
‘It’s pretty much the same teams, but I know Skibb have lost a few with injuries, which is tough,’ he acknowledged. ‘But look, I suppose we could just go down that avenue too in the sense of Johnny’s (Kelly) gone and Seán (Daly) is gone from last year’s team. Colm O'Shea is coming back now again after missing most of the year. You just got to roll with it and find more lads and go with it.’
The winner of this contest will march forward into a quarter-final, while the loser will be left to reflect on what could have been. For all those involved, it’s a return to old-school championship football at its finest.
