On the brink, Knocknagree boosted by returning sons

John O’Dwyer has come in on the coaching side and transformed their defensive structure. They haven’t conceded a single green flag on their way to Sunday and only conceded 0-10 in their recent semi-final win over Dohenys.

The injury list has cleared up and been chucked in the bin. Kealan Buckley and Gearóid Looney, two-thirds of their half-back line, were out injured last year. Goalkeeper Patrick Doyle was carrying a knock. Anthony O’Connor had a long-term injury and missed around three years of football.

And then there’s those returned home to help the cause. Fintan O’Connor and John F Daly, the manager’s son, were in Australia. They paid their way back home for the 2024 championship.

Fintan, who was top-scorer when Knocknagree won the Premier Intermediate in 2020, has come off the bench in their last two outings. A handy one to be able to spring in the third or fourth quarter.

Fintan, as his teammate Daniel O’Mahony tells it, returned home for a friend’s wedding and decided to stay put until Knocknagree’s interest in the second tier of Cork football had concluded.

“It is unbelievable to have him back. He’s an unbelievable footballer,” says O’Mahony.

“A lot of rural clubs are facing emigration, fellas moving away. Particularly for a small club like ours, it can have a huge impact on the team. But the fact that guys are willing to pay out of their own pocket to uproot their life in Australia to come home and play for Knocknagree for the summer is just unbelievable.

“We are so fortunate to have guys like that involved. We are very fortunate that lads want to come home.” 

They’re coming home, one would imagine, because they know the journey won’t go on forever. Even though the team has been re-energised with new and younger faces in recent campaigns, 10 of the players to see game-time against Dohenys a fortnight ago were also present inside the whitewash for the Cork junior final win that put them on the road eight years ago now.

“It has been class, an unbelievable journey,” O’Mahony continued.

“I was too young to play when they won the junior All-Ireland. I joined the season after. Seeing where those guys came from and to where we are today and to where we could potentially be, it is inspiring in itself. We were struggling to win games in Duhallow and you still have that core group involved.” For struggling to emerge from their own division to one hour from sharing a bowl with Nemo and Castlehaven for next year’s Premier Senior championship draw.

“It would be unbelievable, but it is not something we are going to think about right now. We've come here before and been short.”