THERE was a silver lining to Carbery Rangers’ close call with relegation from the premier senior football championship last season – it has added a steel to the Rosscarbery side, insists manager Seamus Hayes.
He’ll admit last season was tough. There was relegation from Division 1 of the county league, and then the relegation final in the championship before retaining their premier senior status with a two-point victory over Éire Óg. Hayes feels his side has emerged the other side as a stronger team off the back of those experiences. Right now, they lead Division 2 after five wins from five games.
‘Unfortunately, last year was a relegation battle for us but the response all year from the players had been exceptional,’ Hayes explained.
‘Going back over that now, that relegation battle steeled a lot of our young players, it was a pressure cooker situation for them. Fellas had to postpone holidays two or three times because of the game being called off, but their commitment was outstanding. I told them afterwards that it would stand to them. They’re basically cutting their teeth still, a lot of young lads turning into young men.
Carbery Rangers manager Seamus Hayes.
‘At the end of the year, we sat down and analysed the situation, we’re always analysing and appraising what is going on, trying to make improvements. Ending up in the relegation final, we put ourselves under a lot of pressure. Of course we were very disappointed how the season went, there’s no sugar-coating that, but the players stood up to it, we carried out an appraisal and a review and have taken it from there.’
At present Rangers have a good mixture of youth and experience although injuries aren’t helping at the moment. Hayes knows exactly the type of player and the type of team he wants and needs for the championship ahead, especially under the new rules.
‘We have a very mobile, fast team right now and I think the spaces being created by the new rules are lending themselves to helping us,’ he said.
‘The coaches and backroom team are working very hard behind the scenes, it’s a whole new game for everybody right now. It’s like going back to the old football, more man-on-man stuff, more football being played, more kicking, more scoring opportunities, all that.’
It’s so far, so good in Division 2, as Carbery Rangers have a 100 percent record after five rounds, and they are moving nicely ahead of the championship battles later in the summer.
‘We have a tough group in the championship – Clonakilty, again, Carrigaline and the Barr’s,’ Hayes said.
‘Our first game is Carrigaline and we’re totally focused on them. I watched them playing the Barr’s and if you thought tonight (against Dohenys) was physical, that was off the charts. They’re a big unit, very well organised, won Division 1 of the Kelleher Shield last season. It’s going to be a huge challenge the first day out but I keep telling the lads that’s why you play football, to be involved in games like that.
‘So far this season we’re happy. We set some clear goals for ourselves and, so far, have been hitting all our targets. The strength and depth of the panel is really being tested and that is a very pleasing aspect.’
The bigger tests are to come, but Rangers are bubbling along quite nicely now, and winning will breed confidence after a testing 2024 campaign.
