Masters content on county and club front

EVENTS OF the past few weeks have presumably left James Masters in a state of contentment. Yesterday he was in Dublin to receive his AIB award as player of the championship in Munster club football, having eight days previously been part of the Nemo Rangers side that turned on a fine display to beat Ballina and reach the All-Ireland final.

Then, at the weekend, the Cork footballers finally put disputes behind them to take the field in Division Two of the National League and take both points from their trip to Roscommon.

Although Masters and his club-mates are excused intercounty commitments at the moment, he was enthusiastic about what he had heard of the team performance and unflappably cheerful about the individual contribution of the player operating in his number 13 position.

"Daniel Goulding is flying. He got about seven points. It's about time he got a start.

"We were heavily involved with Nemo so it wasn't too bad on us because we were training all the time, whereas some of the lads weren't training at all," he said of how the three-month protest hadn't affected his club-mates as much as other county panellists.

"We went to the first training session to get introduced to Conor (Counihan, new Cork football manager) and everyone was just delighted to get back on the pitch. It's a great relief. It was weird not having it. Nemo is my club, but you'd still miss that Cork factor because you're with the lads 24/7 during the summer.

"The big thing is that everyone stuck together and we were a united front, and that always helps in the long term. Our main thing was that we all stay in it as a bunch and we did. The fitness will come - it's a matter of getting as much football as we can."

In just under a fortnight Masters and Nemo will take on St Vincent's from Dublin in the All-Ireland club final. The identity of the opposition was a bit of a surprise, as defending champions Crossmaglen were expected to emerge from that semi-final.

An upset of that dimension has left the Cork side understandably wary. Their opponents played some quality football in establishing an unbreakable grip on the match from the start.

"We just heard it coming off the pitch after playing Ballina," said Masters, a member of An Garda Síochána. "They were hugely impressive. I was down in Nemo a couple of weeks ago and speaking to another guard and he was telling me that Vincent's were in great form, flying it."

The clubs have 35 years of history between them since contesting the 1973 final, won by Nemo after a replay, a result avenged by the Dubliners in the semi-final of 1976. Since then relationships have remained close.

"Vincent's and ourselves have played a lot of challenge matches over the past few years," according to Masters. "They come down to Cork and we go up to Dublin and we might meet halfway. Both teams are playing the best football of the year so far. We'd a great performance and they'd a great performance. Both of us are on the up and I think it'll be a great game of football."

At yesterday's presentations the following players were honoured: Football - Ronan McGarrity (Ballina), Oisín McConville (Crossmaglen Rangers), Ger Brennan (St Vincent's), James Masters (Nemo Rangers); Hurling - Paddy Richmond (Dunloy), David Kennedy (Loughmore-Castleiney), Niall Claffey (Birr), Damien Hayes (Galway).

The Coaching and Games Development awards went to Gerard Murphy from the Templeglantine club in Limerick and Michael McGowan from Rosinver in Leitrim. A special award was made to the family of the late Pat Healy, formerly of AIB Dingle and a dedicated club activist with Kerins O'Rahilly's in Tralee.