O'Mahonys edge out Na Fianna to claim IHC crown
Navan O'Mahonys' brief exile from senior hurling is over as they made an instant return to the top table with a narrow 0-17 to 0-14 victory over Na Fianna in today's IHC final replay at Pairc Tailteann.
As expected there was very little between the sides once again, but on this occasion O'Mahonys proved marginally too strong for a Na Fianna side that failed to build on their bright start.
The early stages hinted we were in for another classic as the teams shared four points in the first six minutes and the intensity was electric.
Mark Slevin opened the scoring after 50 seconds, but two minutes later O'Mahonys were level when Paddy Skehan converted a free after Daniel Gleeson's stray pull on David Quirke.
That parity lasted another couple of minutes as David Kirby and Skehan traded points, but then Na Fianna enjoyed a bright spell with three of the next four points.
An excellent free from Barry Slevin from a difficult angle pushed Na Fianna ahead again and Sean Martin doubled that advantage with an equally impressive score.
Jack Walsh held off Niall Reilly to counter for O'Mahonys, but when Barry Slevin converted another free and Kirby added his second point as Na Fianna looked in good shape with a 0-6 to 0-3 lead in the 11th minute.
However Na Fianna's touch then seemed to desert them. They scored just once more in the remaining 22 minutes of the half as O'Mahonys responded well against the wind.
An excellent score from James Murphy was followed by a point for Derek Loughran and another converted free from Skehan as O'Mahonys drew level again.
Diarmuid Bailey's fine score restored Na Fianna's lead, 0-7 to 0-6, in the 20th minute, but Skehan levelled it up for the fourth time from a tap over free after Mikey Kelly looked to have been fouled inside the large square.
Six minutes later O'Mahonys took the lead for the first time from Skehan's fifth point and as Barry Slevin (twice) and Martin missed decent chances for Na Fianna the Navan men took a 0-8 to 0-7 advantage to the interval.
Once they got their noses in front O'Mahonys were never headed again.
The outstanding Jack Walsh stretched their lead within 90 seconds of the restart and even though Martin replied for Na Fianna they struggled to contain the O'Mahonys forward division who opened up a 0-11 to 0-8 lead with an outstanding score from Diarmuid Rogers and a '65' from Skehan after Eoin Reilly dropped the ball under little pressure.
Barry Slevin had a simple chance to reduce the deficit moments later, but he opted to go for goal from his 23-metre free and his effort was easily cleared.
He did eventually make it 0-11 to 0-9 a minute later when he converted a '65' after Peter Slevin was denied a goal by a wonder save from John Gleeson.
Skehan responded from a '65' to preserve O'Mahonys three-point cushion, but when Barry Slevin fired over two frees from almost identical positions close to the left-hand sideline it cut the gap to 0-11 to 0-12 and set up a tense final quarter.
Shane Crosby and Barry Slevin traded scores before O'Mahonys sub Conor Fitzpatrick and Cian Slattery did likewise to leave it 0-14 to 0-13 with four minutes remaining.
A brilliant score from Walsh and an equally impressive point from David Quirke made it 0-16 to 0-13 heading into injury-time and left Na Fianna chasing a goal.
Barry Slevin clipped over a free to leave two points between the sides, but the Na Fianna goal never came and fittingly it was the best player on the field Walsh who fired over the final score to ensure O'Mahonys claimed the IHC title with a deserved win.
Navan O'Mahonys – John Gleeson; Diarmuid Rogers (0-1), Richie Hogan, Mark Usher; James Murphy (0-1), Kevin O'Rourke, Shane Crosby (0-1); Jake Regan, Dylan Regan; Paddy Skehan (0-7 four frees, two '65's), Barry Regan, Jack Walsh (0-4); Mikey Kelly, Derek Loughran (0-1), David Quirke (0-1). Subs – Colin O'Rourke for B Regan 23 mins, Conor Fitzpatrick (0-1) for C O'Rourke. 51m,
Na Fianna – Eoin Reilly; , Evan Mullally, Christy Cosgrave; Niall Reilly, Daniel Gleeson, Johnny McCloskey; Ethan Devine, Diarmuid Bailey (0-1); Cian Slattery (0-1), Peter Slevin, Barry Slevin (0-7 six frees, one '65'); Mark Slevin (0-1), David Kirby (0-2), Sean Martin (0-2). Subs – Ronan Byrne for Devine 41 mins, Shane Burke for McCloskey 53m, Will Flynn for Slattery 58m.
Referee – Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels).