Macroom boss Graham hopeful De La Salle can pass final exam
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Thursday March 04 2010
DE LA SALLE coach Eric Graham isn't surprised that they will be contesting the Corn Uí Mhuirí final on Sunday. He accepts that the thrashing they received at the hands of Colaiste na Sceilge in the opening game was a severe setback, but he was confident that they could recover from it, and that it might work to their advantage in a sense.
"We felt we had a handy team at the start of the season and we certainly knew that we weren't as bad as we looked against Colaiste na Sceilge. They absolutely destroyed us that day, so we had to take a serious look at ourselves, and we decided to restructure the team a bit.
" We were fortunate enough in that we won a few games in the Simcox Cup which brought us on a ton, and, after we beat St Fachtna's in the final, we felt that confidence had been restored ahead of the Corn Uí Mhuirí quarterfinal against Tralee.
"It was a case of learning a lot from the defeat against Colasite na Sceilge, and, in fairness to the lads, they knuckled down well in the wake of it, and they used it as a motivating factor to a large extent. It helped as well that we went in under the radar againstTralee, and that we were largely written off again for the semi final-against Dingle.
" We were obviously delighted to win those games, but, to be honest, we knew we were always likely to be there-or-thereabouts once we played to our potential," he told The Corkman.
Graham says that De La Salle will be going in as underdogs again on Sunday, but he believes they won't be in the least bit intimidated by the task ahead. "Realistically, St Brendan's are entitled to be favourites, having eliminated Colaiste na Sceilge in the semi-final, a game I always felt could go either way, because it was a local derby, and the Sems' great tradition was bound to come into the equation.
"But I'm convinced we have a lot going for us, bearing in mind we have won our last six games, and we have brought in five or six new players and made several positional changes since losing our first match of the season. So, in terms of form and formation, there is no comparison between the team lining out on Sunday and that which was hammered by Colaiste na Sceilge.
"We will be hoping for the best, and we certainly won't be going to Knocknagree merely to make up the numbers. I know the lads are determined to give a good account of themselves, and, after the horrific start to the campaign, it would be brilliant if they could come up trumps in the final, and bridge a five-year gap for the college.
"It would also be a merited reward for all the hard work they have put in the meantime, and I must admit I'm quietly confident that we can upset the odds," concluded Graham.
- Noel Horgan
