Magnificent Mattock show grit and guile
Mattock Rangers 2-9 Mullinavat 1-9
IT was day for graft and guile and grit; a day for old-fashioned, sleeves up, blood and guts.
For all of their trademark style and panache over the years, the Mattock Rangers genetic code has never lacked any of the above.
And so in a rising storm, on a leg-sapping pitch, against big physical opponents who also knew how to play a bit, a new generation carved their own inscription into a proud and illustrious history.
On the back of restoring the Collon club’s precious senior status, comes a first ever provincial crown, and with it a shot at All-Ireland glory in the new year.
They didn’t make it easy on themselves with a lacklustre start, but nothing about this assignment was easy.
For the Mattock players and management, it was a hiding to nothing from the day the qualified for the decider.
At odds of 1/6 the bookies deemed them as close to a surething as they come, and all week avoiding the “you’ll beat them easy” predictions must have been as big a challenge as preparing for the game itself.
But Mullinavat were gracing this stage on merit, and the Kilkenny kingpins were determined to seize their big shot at stardom.
Their determined start to the game, coupled with their hosts’ sluggishness, ensured it was ‘game-on’ from an early stage in the contest.
The sides traded early points from Ger Malone and Shane Hickey, but only after Mattock were denied a dream start when Killian Dunphy saved superbly from David Reid who was left with only the ‘keeper to beat.
But Mullinavat kicked six of the next seven scores to take a firm grip on the half, if not the game itself.
Ian Duggan was supremely accurate from placed balls and the lively Jamie Farrelly popped up with two peaches from wide on the right, shooting into the hospital end.
A lone David Reid free was all Mattock had to show for that eight-minute spell when they really played second-fiddle to to the Kilkenny side.
But almost as quickly as Mullinavate had streaked clear, Mattock had reeled them back in again.
As they so often do, the Reid brothers answered the SOS call, David converting two more frees and then a sweet strike with the outside of the boot, while Adrian knocked over a brace coming in from the left - no easy feat for a ‘ciotóg’!
Those five scores whittled Mullinavat’s lead down to a single point at the break, and with that, all of the momentum swung to Niall Callan’s side.
The duly sprung from the traps after the break and when Ryan Lenaghan rattled the crossbar with a fierce strike, midfielder Dan Bannon kept Mullinavat under the cosh by claiming the break. He quickly spotted Brian Corcoran all alone on the edge of the square and teed the corner forward up perfectly for a simple slap to the net.
Mullinavat did level almost immediately through Alan Mansfield, but Mattock took complete control of the game over the next 15 minutes, rarely letting their visitors out of their own half.
Reid converted two frees and Aaron O’Brien kicked a lovely brace from open play and a further point from Brendan Leacy ebsured Mattock were five clear by the 50th minute, 1-12 to 0-10.
Mullinavat got it back to four two minutes later and did manage to build a bit of momentum as Mattock retreated slightly in the closing stages.
But the Collon men held firm and added two more points from David Reid and Shane Hickey to make absolutely certain.
The celebrations were hail and hearty and despite the bitterly cold breeze they carried on for some time after the presentation of the cup to captain Adrian Reid - no doubt they carried on a bit after that too!
When they come back to earth Niall Callan and his players will start to focus on a much more daunting prospect in the All-Ireland semi-finals in the new year - a joust with Magheracloone from neighbouring Mongahan. MATTOCK RANGERS: Mike Englishby; Shane Maguire, Niall McKeown, Alan Caraher; Brendan Leacy, Dáire Englishby, Rónán Kilbane; Adrian Reid, Daniel Bannon; Terry Donegan, Ryan Leneghan, Shane Hickey; Brian Corcoran, Aaron O’Brien, David Reid. Subs: Cathal Fleming for Donegan (43), Ben McKenna for Bannon (44), Seán Gilsenan for Maguire (46), Hugh Donnelly for Leneghan (58, BC), James Caraher for Kilbane (60), Oisín McKenna for Corcoran (60).
MULLINAVAT: Killian Dunphy; Shane Kelly, Joe Fennelly, Mikey Jones; John Walsh, Ger Malone, Mark Mansfield; Tom Aylward, Michael Malone; Conor Duggan, Ian Duggan, Adam Mansfield; Oisín Knox, Jamie Fennelly, Brian Phelan. Subs: Pádraig Dempsey for Mansfield (49), Liam Fennelly for Phelan (49), Simon Aylward for Jones (51), Darren Kenneally for C Duggan (58).
REFEREE: Patrick Maguire (Longford)