O’Donnell highlights squad unity as being key to latest success

By Shane Brophy

Nenagh CBS manager Donach O’Donnell lauded the unity of the panel as the reason behind their Dr Harty Cup final success on Saturday.

With it being their second title in three years, many of the players backed up winning a Dean Ryan (U17 ‘A’) title two years ago, also beating St Flannan’s in the final, while also living up to their tag as pre-Harty Cup favourites.

“Our group are so close, so tight, and work so hard for each other. That is what really got us through in the end,” said the Clonoulty native.

“That is what stands to this group. It’s more than a team, it’s a panel. For example, we took off Emmett Jones at half time against Thurles, and today he had a phenomenal game.

“Billy O’Brien, we lost him during the week to an injury, and I’d say within an hour or so half of the panel were out at his house to talk to him as he was devastated. He is a real leader in the group.

“As much as the loss of him as a hurler, his presence around the place hurt us a little bit but we knew that the panel was there, is strong, and someone else would do a job for us, and that has been a big thing for us all year.”

It was a victory earned through character and their ability not to lose focus, particularly when they fell five points behind in the opening twenty minutes, with a couple of key switches at the heart of the defence and attack helping Nenagh gain a foothold.

“Flannan’s were all over us in the first twenty minutes but we stayed in the game,” O’Donnell added.

“We only played in the first half for about ten minutes but we got to terms with our shape better in the second half.”

“The thing with Dara (O’Dwyer) and Shane (Cleary), we have done it a few times over the course of the campaign which is a great luxury to have to be able to switch your full and centre backs which are really pivotal positions.

“Eoghan (Doughan) was being pushed out of the game, the ball really wasn’t sticking with him. Patrick (Hackett) is a little bit stronger and well able to field the ball and he caused a lot of problems for them in the second half.

In the final two years ago, Eoghan Doughan played the role of a fringe player who had a big final when he scored three points from play. Two years on, Doughan as the skipper and leader of the attack led the way with twelve points, four from play, while Joe O’Dwyer stepped into the 2024 Doughan role with two points from play while also earning three frees which resulted in points.

“He is a phenomenal kid,” O’Donnell said of his captain.

“He was here two years ago playing in a Harty final at sixteen years of age, and played a really good game. Now he is back here again as a mature adult, playing senior club hurling, and it won’t be long until he is playing with the seniors (Tipp).

“Joe came on two years ago as a young fella, and has matured a lot since then. He had a tough injury to come back from over the summer. He wasn’t available for the first round but he is a great character, a great young fella.”

There were other similarities to the final two years ago when Nenagh defeated Ardscoil Ris with a last gasp goal. This time it was Nenagh holding onto a two point lead as a Leon Talty free was floated into the square with Flannan’s chasing a winning green flag.

“You remember two years ago here so to make sure that didn’t happen we had fourteen players on the edge of the square,” O’Donnell said.

“It wasn’t pretty but they dug those things out and that half a second or a half a step will get you there when you are under real pressure.

“In coaching, we do give them a lot of scenarios. We give them a minute on the clock and say they are a point up or a point down, and what are you going to do.

“It is very much player led, they understand what they are doing, and they do it nearly automatically at this stage. A lot of that panel were there last year as well so they know the system and are equipped to play it.”

Nenagh CBS progress to the All-Ireland semi-final as Munster champions where they will play the winners of the quarter final involving the Leinster champions (St Kieran’s College Kilkenny CBS) or the losers of the Connacht final (St Raphael’s Loughrea or Presentation Athenry)

Nenagh defeated both Kilkenny schools on route to the 2012 Croke Cup success, but they achieved that without winning the Harty Cup.

Two years ago, Nenagh’s quest for All-Ireland glory was ended by St Raphael’s of Loughrea at the semi-final stage so the target of winning the Harty and Croke Cups in the same campaign is one to go after.

“It would be absolutely lovely,” O’Donnell said of what is next.

“We have two or three weeks at least before the semi-final.

“It is something we’d like to finish the year out on but the bigger prize is this group can stay together for another three to four weeks, and push on and maybe finish up at Croke Park.”