Treble driving O’Hare to come back fitter than ever

FOOTBALL STANDING on the sideline, watching the team he coached for 11 months claim the treble was a proud moment in Crios O’Hare’s football career, but there was something missing as Edge Hill United celebrated.

O’Hare joined the Tigers to be a playing-coach.

Just a season removed from his stint at Cairns FC, O’Hare viewed the FNQ Premier League as an avenue in which he could flex his footballing muscle, and be the on-field leader many believe he is.

Fate had other ideas.

Injuries rocked O’Hare, restricting the striker to just eight league games and three FFA Cup clashes.

He scored six goals in the Premier League, which was fourth overall in his squad and the highest strike rate of any player (the next best was Hugo Smith’s seven from 11 games), and had one to celebrate in a FFA Cup run shorter than he and the club anticipated.

While proud of his team’s accomplishments, O’Hare admitted it stung to watch the side sweep all three major trophies on offer: the premiership, grand final and Crad Evans Shield treble.

“It killed me, Shay (Douglas, assistant coach) as well,” O’Hare said.

“We both would’ve loved to have been out there. You can’t do anything on the sideline.

“The grand final was tough, but (in the Crad Evans Shield) I really, really wanted to get out there. You’ve got no control and you can’t really influence the game coaching, as you would as a player.”

The disappointment has driven O’Hare’s determination to come back fitter than ever, and potentially extend Edge Hill United’s dominance over the North Queensland football landscape for another season.