O'Mahonys up tempo to breeze past Meath Hill

O’Mahonys ..............1-2-13 (20)

Meath Hill..................1-1-7 (12)

About five minutes before the end of this IFC quarter-final at Castletown on Friday night a steam of cars could be seen edging their way towards the exit. Soon that stream turned into a river, the drivers knew the game was up.

Navan O’Mahonys were cruising. Trailing by 1-3 to 1-6 at the interval they had upped the heat on Meath Hill in the second-half assisted by a strong breeze and swirling rain.

Their march to a deserved victory was also helped by a strong finish with the Hoops outscoring their tenacious, if overwhelmed, opponents by 0-8 to 0-2 in the final 10 minutes.

This was a very efficient, composed display by O’Mahonys, a real statement of intent, and based on the quality of the fare they served up here, it will take a strong team, on form, to stop them.

They caused problems for Meath Hill all over the pitch. They dominated the kick-outs, stayed strong at the back for the most part and frequently moved forward with the kind of speed and intent that caused their overworked opponents all sorts of problems

They also scored on goal on 24 minutes that underlined the kind of threat they could muster when they were in the zone, as they frequently were. Darragh Maguire, Jack Quinn, Niall McGrane and Aodhan Mallon were among those involved in a sustained move in the 11th minute.

Mallon worked the ball to Duggie Dillon out near the touchline on the stand side. There was no obvious threat for Meath Hill. Until that is, Dillon switched on the afterburners, sped past an opponent and raced through the startled Meath Hill defence before firing the ball to the net.

Pace is a big asset in this O’Mahonys side and one of those who has plenty of it is Roscommon footballer Niall Higgins. His sizzling runs frequently helped to turn defence into attack. One of those forward surges ended up with him slotting over the bar in the second-half. It was a neat score indeed.

His midfield partner, Mallon, also had a major influence. He won a lot of ball around the crowded midfield sector and helped himself to four points including a booming two-pointer from play in the 39th minute.

That score was the end product of a multi-phase attack and arrived at a time when O’Mahonys were really starting to assert themselves. Mallon’s well-directed effort was immediately followed by another O’Mahonys two-pointer, this time brilliantly executed by Evan Coffey. He wore number 14 but played as an auxiliary midfielder/half-forward and was very effective in that role. Coffey’s two-pointer gave his team the lead (1-8 to 1-7) for the first time since the opening minutes.

Robbie Keelaghan was left out of the starting 15 but entered the fray for the second-half and he appeared fully fired up to remind manager Darren Clarke and selectors Finian Murtagh and David Quirke what exactly he could do.

He landed three super scores from play, all inside the final few minutes. Cormac Nugent converted three frees for O’Mahonys over the hour including one excellent effort from an awkward angle, while the enterprising Ronan Clarke and Christopher Dillon also contributed a point apiece for the winners.

This was a meeting of the two teams who engaged in a memorable IFC final in 2024 that went to extra-time before Meath Hill emerged the victors. This time around, the Hill just couldn’t muster enough momentum to stay in contention. They were undermined partly by some wayward shooting, clocking up 10 wides over the hour.

Their goal on 24 minutes, sharply finished by Pierce McGrath after a sweeping move, was a big factor in helping them go in at the break with that three-point advantage but considering they played with the breeze in that opening half it was a slender lead indeed – and so it proved.

They struggled to get a foothold in midfield – particularly from Jamie O’Reilly’s laser-accurate kickouts – and with their attackers living off a meagre diet of ball they were unable to make a sustained impact. As it turned out Cormac Sheedy finished as the Hill’s topscorer with four points, including one first-rate two-pointer. Conor Marry, James Mooney, Jake Gillen and Gary Breslin, back after injury, were others to dig out fine points for the north Meath side but it was all very difficult for them.

Meath Hill’s wayward shooting certainly didn’t do their cause much good either. They needed to convert a far higher percentage of chances to keep them in contention against an O’Mahonys side who are on a roll.

Navan O’Mahonys: Jamie O’Reilly; Darragh Murphy, Paddy Dillon, Conor Brady; Darragh Maguire, Niall McGrane, Sean Betson; Niall Higgins (0-1), Aodhan Mallon (0-4 two frees, one two-pointer); Ivo Fitzherbert, Jack Quinn, Duggie Dillon (1-0); Ronan Clarke (0-1), Evan Coffey (0-4 one two-pointer), Cormac Nugent (0-3 frees). Subs: Robbie Keelaghan (0-3) for Quinn, James O’Reilly for Maguire both half-time, Christopher Dillon (0-1) for Clarke 47m, Shane McCarthy for Fitzherbert, Eoghan Nugent for C Nugent both 59m.

Meath Hill: Dominic Yorke; Peter Griffin, James Slavin, Aaron Farrelly; Andrew Monaghan, James Mooney (0-1), Jack Slavin; Ryan Owens, Jake Gillen (0-1); Conor Marry (0-2), Jack McMahon, Cormac Sheehy (0-4 one two-pointer); Patrick Matthews, Pierce McGrath (1-0), Gary Breslin (0-1). Subs: Mark Sheehy for Matthews 39m, Ryan Shekleton for Gillen 47m.

Referee: Cormac Reilly (St Mary’s).