*Brendan Bugler. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
St Flannan’s College came good when it really mattered according to the coach of the school’s Harty Cup team Brendan Bugler.
Speaking moments after the team had qualified for yet another final in this prestigious hurling competition, the Whitegate clubman said “we have proven this year that we can play really well in the second half, some people might say we are a second half team. We came good when it mattered and the introduction of the finishers as we call them was really positive. I am delighted that we have qualified for another Harty cup final”.
Asked if he was worried that the side trailed their opponents, St. Josephs Tulla at half time he said. “there was no panic at half time. It was disappointing to concede those goals before the break but you can’t dwell on that and we didn’t dwell on it at half time”
Continuing he said he was “never as nervous” before a game as he was on Saturday. “This was a big game and I was extremely nervous. I have played the game for many years and coached as well and I was never as nervous as I was this week. I am delighted that we are through to another Harty cup final”.
Commenting on the performance of the defence when pressure came on he said “they are very good players and they thrive on that man to man battle and that was the way we went about it today. We went man to man and it wss up to them to go and win their battle. That said they had tough periods as well in the first half but they did well and we are delighted with them”.
Understandably he was disappointed to see Ballyea clubman Dara Kennedy suffer a recurrence of injury within a minute of his introduction. “He had done an awful lot of work to get back into contention and he had trained really well in the last two weeks. Hopefully it’s not too bad”.
In the final they will face Nenagh CBS in a repeat of the opening round in this season’s title race. “I haven’t really thought about that. We will enjoy this evening for what it is and go again next week”.
