Olan Corcoran Confident St Mary's Spirit Will Backbone Shock in Carbery JAFC Final
Olan Corcoran, a key player for St Mary's, has been a frustrated bystander during their journey to the Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football Championship final. His shoulder injury, sustained after 13 minutes of their group win against Carbery Rangers on September 14th, initially sidelined him. However, as St Mary's momentum shifted up a gear in the knockout stages, Corcoran's role has become more pivotal.
With impressive wins over Mathúnas and Tadhg MacCarthaigh, St Mary's is back in the Carbery JAFC final. The big question remains: will Corcoran be part of the team facing Kilmacabea in Skibbereen on Sunday at 3 pm? Corcoran's availability is uncertain, with his shoulder injury still affecting him. Despite missing the last two and a half games, he remains St Mary's second-highest scorer with 0-17, just one point behind Niall Kelleher (0-18). He's also their joint-top scorer from play with 0-10, tied with Darren O'Donovan (1-7).
However, St Mary's success isn't solely reliant on Corcoran. The team has shown resilience, beating last season's finalists Mathúnas in the quarter-finals (0-10 to 0-9) and an in-form Caheragh in a stunning semi-final (2-17 to 0-21), despite being ten points down at halftime. This year, St Mary's boasts a strong team spirit, largely attributed to manager Daniel Cronin. Corcoran praises the team's leadership and the mix of younger and older players, including Jason Collins, Stephen Keohane, and Brian McCarthy, who were instrumental in the 2014 Carbery JAFC title win.
Corcoran highlights the importance of these experienced statesmen in St Mary's recent success. He notes that the team's ability to stick together and play well is key to their optimism. Football holds significant meaning for Enniskeane, and reaching the West Cork final is a boost for the entire community, from underage to adult. Despite their respect for Kilmacabea, Corcoran believes St Mary's can achieve greatness when they play well, and he's hopeful of making an impact in the division's showcase game.
