URHAN are one win away from qualifying for the club’s first adult county final appearance in 31 years.
The Beara side takes on St Finbarr’s in a Bon Secours Premier JFC semi-final this Saturday in Rossmore (5pm throw-in) off the back of an unbeaten run through this championship campaign, with three wins and a draw from their four outings.
Another victory on Saturday will see Urhan back in a county final, and a chance to match the heroes of 1992 who beat Midleton in the Cork Junior A FC final after an epic trilogy that spanned almost one month.
After draws in the final and then the replay, Urhan got the job done in the second replay, winning 1-6 to 0-3 thanks to 1-2 from Bobby O’Dwyer and 0-3 from Ciarán O’Sullivan. There are links between the ’92 team and the current group – former Cork minor and U20 boss O’Dwyer is a selector, O’Sullivan is part of the S&C set-up and his sons, Ciarán and Alan, are on the panel.
The current Urhan team has impressed en route to the last four, and an opening draw with Cullen was followed by wins against Ballydesmond and St Nick’s before beating Millstreet in the quarter-finals. Momentum has been building.
Urhan joint-manager Martin McCarthy.
‘Playing three tough group games has been hugely important for us and it has definitely brought on all the players on our panel,’ joint-manager Martin McCarthy commented after the quarter-final win. ‘These are the games we needed. You won’t test lads unless you are in this kind of competitive environment. That’s why playing these (county) championship games are so massive for our club.
‘These lads are winners; they want to win and do their best for Urhan.’
There was also much to admire in Urhan’s 0-10 to 1-5 quarter-final defeat of Millstreet, not least the fact victory was obtained despite awful weather conditions.
‘We are delighted because that was a massive battle with Millstreet,’ the Urhan player-manager added. ‘I’m delighted for our supporters as they have been outstanding for us over the last four or five games. That win was for them more than anyone else.
‘A massive battle. Just when we think we can’t get any more off these lads, they just keep coming up with performances like this and refuse to die out there.’
That refusal to die will be tested to the limit once again when Urhan lines out against the Barr’s on Saturday.
Similar to their semi-final opponents, the city side also topped their Premier JFC group thanks to wins over Cobh (1-9 to 1-8) and Buttevant (3-9 to 1-10) but also a (3-3 to 2-8) defeat to St Michael’s.
The Barr’s senior team is also on the cusp of another Premier SFC final appearance provided they can overcome Castlehaven, but what’s clear is that Urhan will be facing a dual football and hurling club’s second team harnessing the momentum of their senior successes.
On the plus side, Beara’s semi-final representatives have plenty of reasons to be positive as well.
A forward line that contains the scoring prowess of Ben Sullivan, Phillip O’Shea, Conchubar Harrington, Ciarán O’Sullivan and Conor Lowney is averaging over 10 points a game. A similar if not better return will be needed to overcome the Barr’s. Urhan’s ability to build on their own momentum has deservedly brought the Beara side one step closer to a possible county final appearance, and a step closer to emulating the heroes of 1992.
