O'Mahonys secure status

With the SHC relegation trap door gaping in front of them Navan O'Mahonys teetered on the edge of the abyss before miraculously pulling themselves to safety while condemning Rathmolyon to the intermediate ranks at Trim on Sunday evening. The standard of hurling was poor, typical relegation stuff, but the excitement was top notch as O'Mahonys dug deep into their reserve of guts, spirit and determination to survive the 20th minute dismissal of Mickey Kelly to claim the victory. Defeat was hard to take for Rathmolyon as their long spell in senior hurling came to a bitter end, but they have no one to blame only themselves. They found themselves in relegation trouble following a string of poor performances in the group stages of the SHC and on Sunday evening they couldn't raise their game sufficiently to match O'Mahonys. Even with the extra player for the majority of the contest, they looked out-numbered, out-thought and were totally out-played for most of the second-half by an O'Mahonys team that worked so hard. It was a magnificent performance by O'Mahonys and a prime example of what having a greater will to win can do for a team. O'Mahonys hunted in packs with 14 men. They swamped their defence and snuffed out Rathmolyon. Then when they broke they had outstanding leaders in Paddy Skehan, Niall McKeigue and Shane McKeigue. More renowned as footballers, the McKeigues were superb. Their hunger for success was the driving force behind O'Mahonys and it was the youngest of the pair, Shane that contributed both goals that effectively sealed the win. It was an all round great team display by O'Mahonys. Rathmolyon showed patches of form in the opening half, but their efforts dipped after the break as they found a more determined and resolute O'Mahonys side. Cormac Reilly, Kevin O'Rourke, Kevin Reilly and Paddy Smyth were solid in defence and with Niall McKeigue dropping back in the second-half Rathmolyon found them almost impossible to break down. So much so that the village side managed just four scores after the break. O'Mahonys scored 1-11 when they were down to 14 men and it was Shane McKeigue's scrambled second goal three minutes into first-half injury time that proved crucial. That goal undid all the good work Rathmolyon had done. After working so hard and showing plenty of skill to get themselves into a 1-6 to 1-3 lead Rathmolyon allowed Shane McKeigue net from close range to leave the sides level, 2-3 to 1-6, at the break. The early exchanges were nervy. An early Darragh Smyth (pictured left) point was countered by two pointed Mike Cole frees. Rathmolyon looked the better team at that stage, but it was O'Mahonys who soon edged ahead in the 13th minute when Shane McKeigue poked the ball to the net during a scramble to make it 1-1 to 0-2. Rathmolyon responded positively with two more Mike Cole (one free) points that were followed by a goal from his brother Gary who managed to flick a low free to the net to make it 1-4 to 1-1 early in the second-quarter. After a scrappy period of play when some of the tackles needed the yellow-card treatment from referee Fergus Smith, the Blackhall Gaels official eventually issued a straight red to Kelly following advice from linesman Brendan Darby about an incident which involved Neil Cole. That departure could have rocked O'Mahonys, but instead it served to rally them to greater efforts. A Skehan free settled the nerves and although Rathmolyon stretched their lead to 1-6 to 1-2 with points from Kevin Fagan and Mike Cole, there was no sense of panic amongst O'Mahonys. Skehan narrowed the deficit to three points two minutes into injury-time before Shane McKeigue's second goal ensured parity at the break. Rathmolyon had to be confident at half-time and despite falling behind to a Niall McKeigue point after the resumption they took control with points from John Farrell and Sean Dalton followed by a Farrell goal that moved the 2006 SHC champions into a 2-8 to 2-4 lead. Again O'Mahonys could have been forgiven for dropping their heads, but they didn't, instead they dug deep. Barry Regan traded a point with Farrell before O'Mahonys took control of the final quarter with three frees from Skehan and a score from Niall McKeigue bringing the sides level, 2-9 each. Uncharacteristically, Mike Cole missed two decent free opportunities either side of a brilliant Skehan point that gave O'Mahonys the lead. Another Skehan free and a fine Shane McKeigue point sealed the issue as O'Mahonys celebrated saving their senior status. Navan O'Mahonys - J Burke; C Reilly, K O'Rourke, S Crosby; D Moran, K Reilly, P Smyth, B Regan (0-1, free), A Snow; D Smyth (0-1), P Skehan (0-7, five frees), S McKeigue (2-1); N McKeigue (0-2), D Murtagh, M Kelly. Subs - C O'Rourke for Murtagh 29 mins, N Ryan for Crosby 38m, B Dillon for Smith 61m. Rathmolyon - S Ennis; G Doherty, T Henderson, G Whelan; M Lynch, E Regan, N Cole; A Fagan, N Fagan; M Cole (0-5, four frees), G Cole (1-0), T Cosgrave; J Farrell (1-2), K Fagan (0-1), S Dalton (0-1). Sub - D Whelan for N Cole 21 mins. Referee - Fergus Smith (Blackhall Gaels). Darragh Smyth's transfer request from Bective to Navan O'Mahonys will be on the agenda for next Monday night's Co Committee meeting.