Mission accomplished for O'Mahonys

IFC Kilbride also advance to last eight

It was mission accomplished for Navan O'Mahonys at Dunsany this afternoon as they advanced to the last eight of the IFC with a 1-14 to 0-8 victory over Kilbride.

O'Mahonys knew what had to be done before throw-in. Walterstown were expected to defeat St Michael's in Bohermeen so the Hoops set out on a mission to win by more than seven points - an outcome that would have been enough to see them through.

As it transpired St Michael's stunned Walterstown and that meant that 'all' O'Mahonys needed was a straight-forward win - either way, when their backs were to the wall they showed tremendous spirit.

That didn't look like being the case in a dour first-half that led many supporters to beg the question why they had paid in, but once the game opened up after the break it was a right good, rip-roaring contest that flowed one way then the other.

Ultimately O'Mahonys had marginally more scoring threat than Kilbride, who relied too heavily on Josh Harford.

Harford was outstanding, but he was his side's only starting forward to score from play and that left Leo Turley's side with not enough options to break down the well organised O'Mahonys rearguard which was superbly led by Brian Dillon.

Shane Maguire also impressed when O'Mahonys had to adopt their all-out defensive structure, but after the break it was the magnificence of Robbie Keelaghan and Oisin O'Brien that stole the show.

The O'Mahonys' pair contributed 1-11 between them and with Aodhan Mallon also producing a fine second-half showing O'Mahonys were fully deserving winners and worthy of their place in the quarter-finals.

The opening half was dreadful and at times painful to watch.

The contest started well with Keelaghan and Caolan Howard exchanging super scores in the opening four minutes, but then the defensive stuff kicked in.

Keelaghan restored O'Mahonys lead from a free in the seventh minute and six minutes later Harford levelled it up with a 20-metre free.

Another 10 minutes of sleep-inducing fare elapsed, it felt like an hour, before the lively O'Brien edged O'Mahonys in front again and they never looked back.

Mallon converted a free to put two points between the sides and even though Harford pulled one back from a free it was O'Mahonys who stole a march with Keelaghan landing a free before O'Brien brilliantly converted a penalty which was awarded after Ivo Fitzherbert's initial effort hit the post and no advantage accrued following an earlier foul on Darragh Maguire.

That goal with the last kick of the half gave O'Mahonys a 1-5 to 0-3 interval lead and it provided them with the perfect platform to kick on and aim for a seven-point victory.

Harford closed the gap with a free four minutes after the restart, but O'Brien was brave under Keelaghan's short attempt as he punched the dropping ball over the bar.

Two superb scores from Keelaghan extended O'Mahonys lead to 1-8 to 0-4, but three points (two from Harford and one from Andrew McWeeney) in a two-minute spell dragged Kilbride back into the game by the 44th minute, 0-7 to 1-8.

Keelaghan settled O'Mahonys with another monster score, but Kilbride were threatening as O'Mahonys' concentration lapsed and Luke Faherty kicked over.

However that proved to be Kilbride's last score and as news filtered through from Bohermeen that St Michael's and Walterstown were level, O'Mahonys kicked for home.

Two superb scores from O'Brien sandwiched converted frees from Keelaghan and Mallon to make it 1-13 to 0-8 and in the closing seconds Mallon added the cherry on the cake with the last score.

Kilbride gathered in a nervous huddle after the final whistle as O'Mahonys celebrated, but the news was good for them from Bohermeen as St Michael's pulled away in the end to deny Walterstown and secure Kilbride's passage to the last eight.

Navan O'Mahonys - Niall Devlin; Darragh Murphy, Brian Dillon, Sean Betson; Sam Formosa, Niall McGrane, Aodhan Mallon (0-3 two frees); Mike O'Reilly, Darragh Maguire; Duggie Dillon, Robbie Keelaghan (0-7 three frees), Shane Maguire; Oisin O'Brien (1-4 1-0 penalty), Ronan Clarke, Ivo Fitzherbert. Subs - Craig Munnelly O'Toole for Maguire, Conor Brady for Clarke both 50m, Evan Coffey for S Maguire 58m.

Kilbride - Craig Manning; Mark Dempsey, Ronan O'Leary, Finn White; Andrew McWeeney (0-1), Timmy Farrell, Daniel Boyd; Cathal McKeown, Caolan Howard (0-1); Cian Harford, James Gavin, Anthony Barker; Adam Malone, Josh Harford (0-5 three frees), Fiachra Gorman. Subs - Luke Faherty (0-1) for Barker half-time, James Browne for Gorman 47m, Michael Farrell for Malone 50m.

Referee - Andrew Lenehan (St Patrick's).