DUAL club Newcestown will have to overcome recent injuries when taking on another dual club, Kanturk, in a Bon Secours Senior A FC quarter-final at Coachford on Sunday (3pm).
‘We wouldn’t want any more injuries than what we have, put it that way,’ Newcestown football manager Tim Buckley informed The Southern Star.
‘Colm O’Donovan is out for the year after breaking his ankle against Bishopstown the last day. Sean O’Donovan did his hamstring against Courcey Rovers in the hurling and, in fairness, attempted to play last week but tore it again and is definitely out.
‘This is where your panel is huge. Newcestown is lucky in that we have a good, strong panel. The fellas coming in are ready to step in for the fellas who have gotten injured. It is still a learning process for most of them but, look, we just have to get on with it.
‘I would have no hesitation in throwing any of our young fellas in against Kanturk. They are good enough.’
From premier senior relegation to senior A contenders, it has been quite a 12 months for Newcestown. Last year was far from easy for the club’s footballers. Dropping down from the Cork Premier SFC was difficult to take considering the quality of the dual club’s panel. Thankfully, 2023 has heralded a welcome turnaround in fortunes.
The Carbery club’s hurlers topped their group and, last Sunday, overcame Killeagh 1-19 to 2-10 to clinch a Co-op Superstores Senior AHC semi-final meeting with Carrigtwohill later this month. Before that, Tim Buckley and his football squad will attempt to reach the last four of the Bon Secours Senior A FC. Buckley acknowledges that they face a Kanturk club still on a high from edging the Glen in last weekend’s Premier SHC relegation play-off.
‘Kanturk are in the same boat as ourselves,’ Buckley explained. ‘We are both on a high right now. It is better to be fighting for silverware than worrying (about relegation), that’s for sure.
‘It makes life easier for everyone when we are all focussed on trying to win silverware. Training is more enjoyable even though all we ever do is around three-quarters of an hour with so many football and hurling games one weekend after another. For us, it is a case of having a walk through, as they say in the rugby, about what we intend to do on the day of our matches.’
