BY SEÁN HOLLAND
JOHN Evans has been in management for over 30 years. He has coached at the top level, with inter-county teams like Tipperary, Roscommon and Wicklow. Recently, the Kerryman guided Cill na Martra to a premier intermediate county title in what was one of his finest days as a manager.
‘I rate this achievement very highly. Firstly, there’s something very special about dealing with a country team. When you’ve just got enough players to survive, it takes a huge effort to make the most of those players, to get them working together, it’s a massive challenge,’ Evans told The Southern Star.
‘Secondly, I’ve won counties in junior and senior. I’ve won counties in minor, and Munster U21s, and all the rest, but I had never won an intermediate. And I realised this year how tough it is to win the premier intermediate grade in Cork.
‘Even though we are playing in the top division in the league it doesn’t seem to matter to teams come championship. When it comes to championship, you have a totally different standard with teams being hugely committed. Looking at the grade you have the likes of Naomh Abán, Macroom, Uibh Laoire, and ourselves. Then you’ve Castletownbere and Bantry so you’ve great local rivalry as well as inter-club. I rate the championship really highly’.
Cill na Martra’s focus has now switched to the Munster club intermediate football championship, and a home quarter-final against Kilmihil (Clare) this Sunday, at 1.30pm. Is this a competition the Mid Cork team will target? Evans stresses the need for a change in mentality if they are to succeed this weekend.
‘It's going into the unknown but this is bonus territory. It’s very hard to get the lads to switch over from the achievements they’ve had. We need a big change in heart and mindset because our opponents Kilmihill have been Clare champions and known about this game for the last four weeks. So their focus and preparation would be a lot more clued in than us at the moment,’ Evans explained.
Cill na Marta will have the advantage of playing in front of their own this Sunday and Evans hopes it’ll be more than a welcome back party.
‘The fact the game is at home, will our supporters be coming just to applaud us winning the county title or will they be expecting more from us? We’d love to give them another day out and another day to cheer us on but when it’s the unknown you just don’t know. Hopefully, we can get the job done for them,’ he said.
