O’Mahony’s in Leinster mix as they reach semis
The Toughest. AIB’s Club Championship marketing slogan is succinct and tothe-point - and it may even have been coined with Sean O’Mahony’s specifically in mind.
Not for the first time in their rags to riches journey, the odds were supposed to be stacked against the Point Road men on Sunday, but they responded to their doubters in trademark style, leading a fancied Sarsfields side virtually from start to finish, quashing a gutsy late comeback from the Kildare kingpins in the process.
O’Mahony’s never cow to reputation, it’s one of the central cogs in a well-oiled machine, and they stood toe-to-toe with their visitors from the start.
Schoolteacher Alan Craven admitted to swatting up on Sarsfields, but knowing what to expect and formulating a plan is one thing - enabling your players to execute it is quite another.
But that never seems to be a problem for this O’Mahony’s team.
They know their jobs inside out and for 45 minutes they were hungrier, sharper, cuter and more composed than their opponents.
They might not rack up big scorelines or pulverise teams with champagne football, but they know how to grind out results.
It helped that Sarsfields opted not to risk Kildare attacker Alan Smith from the start, but that perhaps indicated a bit of complacency in John Crofton’s mindset. If the Kildare champs were taking on Rhode or St Vincent’s would their star man have been held in reserve?
And that kind of complacency has a knack of seeping out on to the pitch.
And there were signs that Crofton may not have reciprocated Craven’s thorough research as the Sarsfield players persisted in running head first into contact, almost inviting O’Mahony’s to turn over possession. And they did - again and again! When they secured possession the home side broke far more purposefully and looked infinitely more dangerous.
That was largely the pattern for the opening 20 minutes and as the game unfolded you could practically see O’Mahony’s confidence gauge shoot north.
They suffered a massive blow when Conor Crawley was forced to retire with a facial injury following a wild lash out by Gary White. The classy wing back was lucky not to see red as the officials missed the incident, but fate came back to bite White later on.
As it turned out keeping possesion that they might normally deliver in high suited O’Mahony’s on the day as both Ben McLaughlin and Stephen Kilcoyne had the measure of their markers.
The game itself won’t win any entertainment awards mind you.
Ray Cahill kicked two frees and Conor Finnegan slotted over three, but the first score from play didn’t arrive until first-half injury-time when substitute David Dowling squeezed one over from a tight angle after being picked out by Keith McLaughlin.
That made it 0-4 to 0-2 and left Craven with a much easier halftime job than Crofton.
The O’Mahony’s boss wouldn’t have had to tell his players that a scalp was there for the taking.
Sarsfields kicked four poor wides after the re-start, but at the other end Finnegan added another free to his tally and Kilcoyne showed great composure to collect a John O’Brien free and slot over to make it 0-6 to 0-2.
And Sarsfields wont to cough up cheap possession really cuaght up with them in the 37th minute when Conor Finnegan intercepted a stray on the 45-metre line.
He quickly moved the ball forward to Dowling who took one look to his right and saw Stephen Fisher hurtling forward without a Sarsfield man in sight and an acre of green grass to eat up.
Dowling’s been around long enough to know which horse to back in that situation and he may have even whispered ‘go on boy’ as he sent Fisher racing clear.
Sarsfields full back Shea Ryan made Fisher’s mind up by retreating back to cut out a potential pass to Ben McLaughlin.
It was a strange call as the pass was the riskier play from O’Mahony’s point of view and Fisher could scarcely believe his luck as he landed on the egde of the square unopposed and planted an unstoppable shot past a helpless Andy O’Brien.
Sarsfields were visibly rattled and Dowling was unlucky not steer a high ball on target moments later.
If Sarsfields mission looked tough at that stage it seemed pretty much impossible when White head-butted Conor Martin after play had been halted for a free.
The incident happened right under David Gough’s nose and he didn’t even bother going to the trouble of consulting with his linesman before reaching for his red card.
Seven points and a man up O’Mahony’s looked to be coasting, but another trait they have exhibited regularly over the last few years is never making life easy for themselves.
Smith had been busy since his half-time introduction and with O’Mahony’s possibly conceding a little too much ground in the middle third, Sarsfields started to pick out the nippy corner forward.
Smith kicked two points and was involved in a third swung over by Ben McCormack.
It took Sarsfields eight minutes to pull back those three points, but they now had bit of momentum and three more followed in as many minutes.
O’Mahony’s were struggling to win or keep possession and they coughed up two frees which Ray Chaill converted, either side of a fine point from play from Conor Hartley.
But with their lead slashed to the minimum, a sense of calm seemed to wash over O’Mahony’s again, just when other teams would have been hitting the panic button.
The retained possession for longer than had in the previous 15 minutes put together and eventually worked the ball to Ben McLaughlin to fire over a badly needed score.
A Sarsfields ‘45’ came to nothing in the next play and O’Mahony’s broke again.
Defender Liam Dullaghan didn’t hesitate when space opened up and after stretching the Sarsfields defence he laid off to Kilcoyne to make absolutely certain of the win.
There was still one very brief heart-in-mouth moment when Ben McCormack pulled on a loose clearance, but his half-volley skewed harmlessy high and wide.
The tougher it is the more this O’Mahony’s team seem to like it, and it’s just as well with Niall McNamee’s ultra-experienced Rhode side next up on Sunday week back at the Gaelic Grounds.
SEAN O’MAHONY’S: Brendan Traynor; Kurt Murphy, Ronan Byrne, Mickey Clarke; Jonathan Connolly, John O’Brien, Liam Dullaghan; Conor Martin, Shane Brennan; Conor Finnegan 0-4f, Keith McLaughlin, Stephen Fisher 1-0; Stephen Kilcoyne 0-2, Conor Crawley, Ben McLaughlin 0-1. Subs: David Dowling 0-1 for C Crawley (18), Niall McLaughlin for K McLaughlin (42), Pat O’Brien for N McLaughlin (49 BC), Barry Mackin for J Connolly (58). SARSFIELDS: Andy O’Brien; Conor Duffy, Shea Ryan, Conor Hartley 0-1; Gary White, Donnachadh McDonnell, Ciaran McInerney Aspell; Caoimghin McDonnell, Con Kavanagh; Ronan Fitzgibbon, Ray Cahill 0-4f, Conor Tiernan; Dan Nea, Ben McCormack 0-1, Ross Connor. Subs: Alan Smith 0-2 for R Connor (ht), James Healy for C Duffy (37), Cian Costigan for D Nea (45). REFEREE: D Gough (Meath).