Nemo Rangers ... 1-12 Errigal Ciarán ... 0-11 A side going in as favourites against Nemo Rangers in a club championship match needs to be on top of its game. In the aftermath of the Cork champions' emphatic win over Errigal Ciarán in yesterday's AIB All-Ireland football semi-final, there was some private indignation over the fact that in the eyes of many they had been outsiders.
Anyone watching would have been surprised too. Nemo built the victory - their tenth in 12 semi-finals - on a textbook performance against the wind in the first half. The game plan worked like a dream and the team had sufficient focus and assurance to overcome the occasional waste of early, abundant possession.
Taking a three-point lead into the break with the prospect of a strong breeze behind them in the second half, Nemo were well satisfied. Errigal must have realised things were grim despite the fact that in Ulster they had looked more desperate situations in the eye and survived. This time there would be no reprieve, although a late rally shaved the final margin and raised a flicker of doubt about the outcome.
Even in those circumstances Nemo did what Crossmaglen had been unable to do in November. They hit on counter-attack and scored the points that kept the match beyond the Ulster champions' reach.
Nemo manager Billy Morgan made the point that having studied their opponents' matches in Ulster they had been surprised at how little possession Errigal had needed. The Cork team determined they wouldn't be beaten were they to see that much of the ball.
That's how it turned out. At centrefield, Kevin Cahill and Derek Kavanagh were decisive winners against Pascal Canavan and Peter Loughran, although the latter won some good ball. But whereas Errigal had previously been able to make the most of poor rations, their game lacked that sort of sharpness yesterday.
The tactic of isolating Peter Canavan on Niall Geary seemed made for the gusty first half but a curious pattern emerged. For all the times Canavan won ball ahead of his marker he rarely managed to make a deep incision.
This was partly due to poor support play but also due to Geary's persistence. Playing Canavan from behind might seem a bit of a high-wire act but the Nemo full back was disciplined and refused to be left for dead - conceding in the process just one point from play.
In addition to this threat to their chief scorer, the Tyrone side exercised poor judgement in shot selection. At a stage when the need was to be absolutely clinical, they were guilty of loose play. Peter Canavan himself let off an impulsive effort from what was even for him a highly unlikely angle.
Pascal Canavan then ignored his better-placed brother when attempting a shot in the 15th minute.
With frustration setting in at the scoring end, Errigal's only comfort was that Nemo didn't convert some good early chances. That thin consolation disintegrated in the 18th minute when William Morgan and Steven O'Brien combined for the latter to drop a blue-chip pass into Alan Cronin, who took the goal.
Nemo selector Dinny Allen pointed out that this had helped settle the team at the very time when inaccuracy with scoring chances might have started to demoralise them.
Instead they took control. Playing against the wind the Munster champions showed great composure. Their half backs were devastating - once the adjustment of switching Martin Cronin and Mick Daly had been made - chasing down the ball and stringing together fast hand passing movements out of defence.
Against the wind the forwards dropped back, with even Colin Corkery grafting out deep. Back in the side after a long injury lay-off was Steven O'Brien and his contribution was striking.
Allen said that O'Brien had brought stability to the team - which he undoubtedly did with his physical presence on the 40 - but he also remains an acute reader of the game and an intelligent distributor.
Nemo's attack accordingly carried a more balanced threat than has been the case recently. Corkery, as usual, mixed a good total with some uninhibited wides but his four frees were ultimately the difference between the teams and his willingness to chase back made life awkward for Errigal when they tried to build from the back.
A good start to the second half was vital for the Tyrone team, who trailed 0-5 to 1-5 at the break. Instead they managed one point for the first 20 minutes after the restart. As their increasingly frantic efforts left gaps at the back, Nemo picked off a steady rhythm of points.
Errigal manager Mickey Harte said that he felt his side needed a goal to get back and although they had chances, nothing stuck. Dara Tierney had a one-on-one chance but was blocked by goalkeeper Don Heaphy in the 39th minute. Four minutes later Pascal Canavan set up his brother with a rugby move that sent Peter careering in on goal but he lost control of the ball at the last moment.
Belatedly the Ulster champions launched a comeback and three points from two Peter Canavan frees and Loughran cut the margin to a goal with four minutes to go.
But Nemo were steady in the face of the storm and Derek Kavanagh picked off the only injury-time score to propel Nemo into a third successive All-Ireland final - where they will hope to make up for the reverses of the past two.
NEMO RANGERS: D Heaphy; L Kavanagh, N Geary, S O'Brien; G Murphy, M Daly, M Cronin; K Cahill (0-1), D Kavanagh (0-2); A Cronin (1-0), S O'Brien (0-1), M McCarthy; J Kavanagh (0-2), C Corkery (capt; 0-5, four frees), W Morgan (0-1). Subs: D Mehigan for McCarthy (56 mins).
ERRIGAL CIARÁN: J Devine; B O'Donnell, C McGinley, D O'Neill; E McGinley, P Horisk, D Harte; Pascal Canavan, P Loughran (0-2); E McGinley, M Harte (0-3, all frees), E Gormley (capt.); R McCann, Peter Canavan (0-4, three frees), D Tierney (0-2).
Referee: G Kinneavy (Roscommon).
