The Nire are back in the county senior football final after edging out Gaultier by a single point, 0-10 to 0-9, in a tense, rain-swept semi-final at Fraher Field last night.
In miserable conditions of driving rain and a howling wind, it was the Ballymacarbry side’s composure and experience that proved decisive. Aaron and Dermot Ryan shared nine points between them in a game that demanded resilience and patience more than flair.
The victory sends The Nire through to a fourth county final in five years as they continue their pursuit of a first title since 2022. For Gaultier, meanwhile, the wait for a place in a first county final since 1996 goes on after another narrow and frustrating near miss.
Speaking after the game, Nire manager Richard O’Keeffe was full of praise for his players’ resolve in the face of both the weather and a spirited Gaultier challenge. “Immensely proud of the lads,” he said. “We had three weeks with nothing, training really hard, and you just don’t know how you’ll turn out after being idle that long. But I thought tonight we got everything spot on. The conditions were terrible — driving rain, a really strong wind — so it’s a real credit to the lads.”
Despite the difficult build-up, O’Keeffe said the team showed both maturity and depth, with several younger players stepping up when it mattered. “We’ve blooded a lot of players this year. Young Michael Morrissey was immense tonight, and even the older lads like Sean Walsh — he’s been carrying an injury and hasn’t trained properly for three weeks — gave a fantastic performance.”
The Nire led by five points at the break but faced into a gale in the second half. O’Keeffe said composure was key to holding their lead. “We were actually very calm at half-time. We felt we were the better team even if the scoreboard didn’t show it,” he explained. “We went back to our principles — hold onto the ball, avoid contact, don’t bounce it on a night like that. We knew Gaultier would have a purple patch, and they’re a fantastic side. But the lads managed it brilliantly.”
The Nire’s victory came despite missing several key figures, including Jamie and Tom Barron and Conor Gleeson. O’Keeffe said all three remain integral to the group whether playing or not. “Even though they’re not on the field, they’re training every night, driving everything on,” he said. “They’re encouraging the younger lads, there’s never a negative word from them. It’s brilliant to have that leadership around.” He confirmed that Gleeson could feature in the final, adding, “There’s always a couple of minutes in Conor Gleeson — he’s a warrior.”
Meanwhile, Sean Walsh, who had been nursing a calf issue, came through unscathed. “He gets a bit of tape and he’s fine,” O’Keeffe said. “He covered serious ground again tonight.” Aaron and Dermot Ryan led the scoring in treacherous conditions, contributing nine of The Nire’s ten points. O’Keeffe revealed Aaron had been a pre-match doubt. “Aaron had a bruised foot and we didn’t know if he’d play,” he said. “But he stood up again tonight. Dermot’s two-pointers in the first half were huge — they’re real game-changers under the new rules.”
For The Nire, the win marks a return to the county final after the pain of last year’s heavy defeat to Rathgormack. O’Keeffe said that loss has been a driving force all season. “We were hurting after that defeat,” he admitted. “We didn’t do ourselves justice at all. We said at the start of the year we wouldn’t let that happen again. We’re delighted to be back — that’s what we set out for.”
The Nire will now meet either Ballinacourty or Rathgormack in next weekend’s decider, as they chase another county title — and a chance to avenge last year’s heartbreak.
