Nemo Rangers manager Paul O'Donovan.
By Cian O’Connell
There is something special about Nemo Rangers. Talent and tradition means they will be respected, but the willingness to give back is a central part of Nemo’s decorated story.
Paul O’Donovan went down to play with Nemo as a boy and throughout his life Gaelic Football occupied an important role. When his footballing days were over, his children were brought to play in Nemo’s street leagues. O’Donovan’s coaching journey commenced, and another Cork SFC final looms against St Finbarr’s at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
Compared to other city clubs throughout the country, how do Nemo retain so many in the system? “I'm not sure, my only experience is Nemo so I don't know how other clubs act or what way they carry on, for me it is just wanting to be part of it,” O’Donovan responds.
“When I stopped playing myself a good while back, I just got involved, my own kids were growing up. I used to bring them to the street leagues.
“Someone said we are stuck, would I fall in, that is literally why I got into the coaching side of things. I just started helping out. As the lads were growing up I was manager of their teams, I brought two teams up to U21 level, it just continued on from there and I ended up senior manager.”
O’Donovan acknowledges the community element that exists in Nemo. “It goes back to people putting stuff back into the club,” he says. “I grew up playing with Nemo, I'm there since I was nine or 10 years of age.
“All through my years it was always guys that I had seen playing coming back putting stuff in, being manager, trainer or coach, whatever was required. In some cases it was being the masseur, water carrier - whatever was needed there was always somebody willing to do it.”
Ultimately, it is why O’Donovan is immensely proud to be the Nemo manager since 2018. “It just seemed to fall into place for me really,” he says.
“I was the minor manager, Larry Kavanagh was the minor manager ahead of me, he went with to the U21s. When he finished with the U21s, the group I had been with at minor went into U21s so I took over that. After about five years of that, Larry was senior manager while I was with the U21s. When he stepped down it just seemed to be a natural progression.
Billy Morgan has given distinguished service to Nemo Rangers.
“At the time I spoke with Billy Morgan, just to get his feel for things, to get some advice from him. He supported me to go for it at the time. He actually came in as a selector back in 2018 and 2019 before stepping down. I got a great sense of support from him and great experience from him.”
Morgan, so respected, is often the figure that seems to stitch things together for Nemo. “Definitely, if you just look back over the decades he was involved with Cork in the 60s playing, then he got into coaching with Cork and Nemo in the 70s while he was still a player,” O’Donovan says.
“He went away for a while, but came back in the 80s, he has been with Nemo teams through every decade. His record, I don't know how many county winning teams he has actually been involved in as a player or a manager, but most of them at this stage.
“He might have missed out on three or four when Ephie was doing it there from 2005 to 2009, and the lads that won in 2010, 2015, and 2017. Take those six out of it and he has probably been involved in the rest of them - 15 or 16.”
With 22 Cork SFC titles gleaned – 12 since 2000, is it hard to maintain high standards? “There is an expectation every year that we should be up challenging, to be there or thereabouts,” O’Donovan acknowledges. “There was a sense of disappointment last year when we didn't get out of our group.
“In fairness I got great support from senior people in the club to have a go again this year. I'm delighted that I did now. Every year is a challenge.
“When you were successful like we had been in 2019 and 2020 there is a target on your back and some teams now want to beat you and not so much to go on to win a championship.
“I've found that down through the years that some teams were content to beat Nemo and they'd tend to take their own foot off the accelerator then having beaten us, and don't go on to achieve success themselves. It is probably a different case with the Barrs - they have been successful. Being Nemo does have a certain target on your back.”
Blackrock and the Barrs contested the Cork hurling decider illustrating a thriving GAA scene in the city. “There is, and I was down at that game, the Barrs were superb,” he says. “I saw them playing most of their hurling games this year because I go to a lot of games, whether they are hurling or football.
Kevin O'Donovan was named on the 2020 AIB GAA Club Football Team of the Year.
“The Barrs were very impressive having struggled, if you like, in a couple of their group games, but then really turning it on once they got into the knockout. They were outstanding in the final despite the very, very difficult conditions.
“They were outstanding and I've no doubt that gives them a certain lift, it probably gives Cork hurling a big lift because of the age profile of that Barrs team. You'd imagine you would see quite a few of those guys brought into Pat Ryan' plans going forward.”
A keen follower of all matters Cork GAA, O’Donovan is fully aware of the history and significance surrounding the upcoming game.
“So next Sunday they are going for a double, they haven't done it for 40 years so it is a huge motivating factor for them, I have no doubt,” he adds.
“Ourselves we stopped them doing a double back in '93, I'd have been involved in that team myself as a player. We know we are in for a huge challenge, that they have a motivating thing going for that double.
“We are looking forward to it, I feel we have a good side, and if we can turn up to put in a performance on the day we will be there or thereabouts.”
With three sons on the Nemo panel, the O’Donovan’s are well versed in preparing for this type of encounter. “The boys now in fairness to them they don't let it affect them too much,” O’Donovan says.
“There is only one of them at home now, the older two lads have moved out - Kevin is at home. There would be a certain conversation going on, but I tend to leave him to his own devices, to leave him off.
“I will have a quiet word with him before Sunday if he has a particular task or assignment. That will be it. I won't be on to him too much, he wouldn't take any notice of me if I was,” he laughs. Some joy will always be found in the Nemo journey.
