Navan O'Mahonys have the credentials to win

Navan O'Mahonys have emerged as surprise contenders for the Matthew Ginnty Cup and next Sunday at Pairc Tailteann they can make the leap to a higher grade of football when they tackle Ballivor in the JFC final. After a number of years in fairly rapid free-fall, from the senior grade right down through the intermediate ranks to junior level, Ballivor will be hoping to avoid making it two JFC final defeats in-a-row. Twelve months ago Ballivor lost out to an impressive Ballinabrackey side and they will be anxious to avoid a similar fate this weekend, especially against a second team. The omens are not good for O'Mahonys either. Back in 2002 the club's first team faltered at the final hurdle in the IFC decider against Ballivor who won a dramatic decider with a late pointed '45' from goalkeeper Ray McKeown. Ballivor were in the ascendancy at that time, but it didn't last too long. O'Mahonys made amends the following year to regain their senior status and Ballivor began their descent into almost total oblivion. That demise was, in part, fuelled by a fairly short-term experiment with football by the Kildalkey hurling club. That took a lot of players away from Ballivor, but that period is now firmly behind them. Ballivor slowly started to re-build and last year's final may have arrived at the wrong time as the Kildalkey hurlers, who make up a sizeable proportion of the football team, were also tasting success and won the Jubilee Cup. There are also some Killyon hurlers involved in the Ballivor mix and trying to find enough time for both codes will certainly make the preparations less intense. Not that O'Mahonys are completely in the clear in that regard. This, after all, is a second team from a club that has first teams in both the senior football and hurling championships. After their surprise JFC semi-final victory over Dunsany, O'Mahonys manager Colm Kane suggested that this was now an ideal opportunity for the club to win some football silverware. "O'Mahonys have done nothing at junior level for a few years, but we now have a great chance to remedy that," he stated. O'Mahonys have not won the JFC title for almost 40 years, the last win was in 1974. They made a faltering start this year with a draw in the first round and then they lost to Moylagh. They got that vital first win against Drumconrath, not a result to get too excited about, but since then they have improved gradually. Since they qualified for the knock-out stages this year they have produced a couple of excellent performances. Not too many, this correspondent included, gave them any chance in the quarter-final against Kilmainham, but they cruised through with a 2-18 to 1-7 victory. Based on that performance, the correct verdict was predicted in the semi-final against Dunsany and the Navan men duly obliged with a hugely impressive 1-12 to 1-6 victory. The wind spoiled the game as a spectacle and Dunsany were understrength, but such was the determination and skill of the O'Mahonys, that they won with plenty in hand. The real question is - just how good are they? They are very good. Players of the calibre of Richie Hogan at full-back and Ronan Lynn at centre-back are both very effective. Midfield will be a crucial area. Brian Perry and Noel Kirby are the likely pairing for Ballivor, but they will find it difficult to cope with Ciaran McGuinness and Shane Crosbie. Even if O'Mahonys only manage to share midfield possession it should be enough to get them into the winners' enclosure as they have more potent forwards in Henry Finnegan, Sean Keating and John Brennan. The Ballivor front line will probably feature Adam Gannon, Derek Doran and Thomas Raleigh. They will find it more difficult to hit the target than their O'Mahonys counterparts. Losing last year's final will motivate Ballivor and manager Paddy Doyle told the Meath Chronicle that it was important for the club to get to the decider again this year. "We are back in another final and that is what we wanted," commented Doyle. "Our character stood up well in the semi-final against Curraha and the camaraderie with the lads from the hurling is very good. "It is great to be in the final and we can turn our attention to that now after last weekend's hurling semi-final, hopefully we can make amends this time," he added. Last year's final is irrelevant now, but the fact that this is the only football team from O'Mahonys still in a championship is very relevant. The pressure will be on Ballivor to deliver. That pressure will be greater as they are facing a second team, Ballivor will be expected to win. All that will help O'Mahonys, but the Navan side are well capable of winning the game without any extra help.