This weekend’s Cork senior football final will see two giants in the county come head-to-head, with St Finbarr’s set to take on Nemo Rangers at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.
Two of the three county’s most successful football teams, both St Finbarr’s and Nemo Rangers will be hoping to end short title droughts in this fixture. The former have not lifted the trophy since 2021, with the latter last doing so in 2022.
Of course, the pair have plenty of history in this fixture.
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These two clubs last met in a county final in 2022, with Nemo Rangers running out as winners on that occasion. In fact, St Finbarr’s have never managed a victory over their old rivals in a decider, a record they will be looking to reverse this weekend.
They will hope that the presence of a club legend on the sideline will aid their cause. Jimmy Barry-Murphy has been involved with the senior management team for the last two seasons, acting as a coach under Brian Roche.
Speaking to the Cork Echo, Barry-Murphy admitted that his side would have to be at their best if they aim to end what has been a long and fruitless run against Nemo Rangers in county finals.
I’m enjoying it immensely, I started last year and I have loved every minute…
I have huge respect for Nemo as a club and their record in the county championship. We’ve the height of respect for them and we’ll need to be at our best to win.
It’s a very intense rivalry but a fabulous sporting rivalry I think as well. Obviously, our record against Nemo isn’t good but that’s something we hope to rectify and all you can do is prepare the best you can.
We feel we have a very good team. We just hope that we turn up on the day and if we do I think we’ve got a great chance.
It’s all on the day. I know it might sound like a cliché but all these finals are decided by big players on the big days. I don’t honestly think previous meetings have any relevance to this now.
As well as the 2022 final, these clubs also came head-to-head in the 1993, 2010, and 2017 editions.
Considering the success that St Finbarr’s have experienced against most other clubs in Cork, they will be keen to put this poor run to bed once and for all on this occasion.
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