O’Malley: we made pledge to leave it all out there and we did

EMERGING from the Easkey dressing room in the time-honoured sporting tradition of visiting the other team’s dressing room after a final, Éanna O’Malley was very measured in his demeanour rather than ecstatic about the outcome. “Definitely couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. Normally you have five outstanding players in a game, five average and maybe five poor but everyone played well for us today. We made a pledge after some of our recent games to leave it all out on the pitch today and the boys did it with style,” the Beaufort manager said.

More astute observers would have noticed the imprint of their former manager Gary McGrath on the side and O’Malley freely admitted they subscribed to his philosophy on the day.

“Easkey did have the possession early on but we weren’t too concerned as we knew we were well set up defensively. I think Seán Kelliher had seven turnovers and dominating their kick-out was part of our plan like we did in the first half. Gary McGrath wanted us to be a kicking team and that’s where our philosophy today came from. You can’t just run the ball in a wide-open space like Croke Park, you must kick it when it matters,” he felt.

Asked about Mike Breen’s performance, O’Malley gave a rather apt assessment. “Somebody described him as being like the conductor of an orchestra, the composure and assurance on the ball that he has is amazing. He glides through the tackle with minimum effort in what he does and in general our movement off the ball today was brilliant,” he said.

After the nature of the grind needed to beat Dromtariffe and Dundalk Young Irelands, Saturday must have felt like enjoying the fruits of their labour somewhat as the Beaufort manager felt everything just came right when it mattered for the Mid Kerry side.

“The Dromtariffe and Dundalk games definitely smartened us up. We had players back today who weren’t involved in those games which was a factor. Dundalk’s was a style we had not encountered. I think maybe there were times in the campaign where we looked ahead of ourselves as well, but you could look no further than today and there was a lot more focus on it,” O’Malley said. People will look at last Saturday’s one as a great one for Mid Kerry, which it is, but O’Malley referred to how the mountainous terrain brings Kerry’s last three winners of the competition a lot closer together than people might realise.

“Templenoe, Glenbeigh/Glencar and ourselves are all surrounded and brought together by the local mountains and we are the last three winners of the Junior Club Championship. That’s a mighty thing for all our areas, but for ourselves today is not the culmination of anything, age is definitely on our side if we want to come back here in a couple of years’ time and have a go at the Intermediate.”

Whether O’Malley will be there to guide them towards such a goal it’s hard to know, but taking what seemed like an onerous task after the departure of McGrath to this victory is what he will always be remembered for back in the serene village between Killarney and Killorglin.