AFTER a 1-9 apiece draw in Enniskeane in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Senior Football Championship relegation play-off, Carbery Rangers and Valley Rovers will face off once more in a replay this Saturday at the same ground (2pm).

Leading 1-9 to 0-5 after 42 minutes in the drawn game, Carbery Rangers will be kicking themselves for letting the lead slip, especially after Jacob O’Driscoll scored a late goal to save Valleys’ status.

Considering Ross lost the second half of their previous defeat to Clonakilty (1-9 to 0-2) and the second half of the Valleys game (1-7 to 1-1 after the break), does Rangers boss Seamus Hayes believe this trend is a concern?

‘In a way, it is. We drew a line under the Clon performance straightaway because that was our first real bad performance of the year. We managed the game quite well up until playing against the elements against Valleys,’ Hayes said.

‘We knew they were going to fight to the end and they did. They got a quite fortuitous goal to draw it level. We would be looking to be a bit more clinical in our approach to the second half when we get a lead like that. Every opportunity that comes our way, we have to take it.

‘It’s a huge game for us as a group. It’s a huge challenge seeing as we probably should have got over the line the last day, and it’s an exciting opportunity for the group as well to put things right.’

Ross were in this predicament last year too, but they successfully pulled themselves out of it by beating Éire Óg 1-11 to 2-6 and preserving their tier-one status. They will have to go to the well again this weekend.

‘The experience from last year definitely stood to us, but we’ve had enough of the experience now, to be honest. We’re looking to kick on,’ Hayes said.

‘This game is standalone again. Valleys are a very proud club, like ourselves. We’ll be fighting tooth and nail to stay up senior. All those experiences are fine but whoever performs on the day will be the deserved victors.

‘We’re very anxious to go out and show what we’re capable of. We created huge chances in the first half the last day – we should have taken more of those and been further ahead at half-time. The game on Saturday will take on its own life. It’s not going to be a replica of what happened the last day. We need to be prepared to adapt, bring the same level of performance, and to be a little bit more clinical in our finishing.’

The West Cork club has a fit panel to pick from with the exception of James O’Riordan, who still hasn’t recovered from the knock he took against Clon. Hayes noted that the two-week break helped the preparation for the replay.

‘We were glad with the two weeks because we picked up a few knocks in the draw. If you had a full deck, you’d be looking to play the week after just to keep the momentum going. It’s obviously a long season for the players and it’s dragging on. Some fellas have late holidays and late plans. The two weeks gave us an opportunity to get our minds and bodies right, as well as reviewing our own performances and seeing where we can improve,’ the Ross manager added.