No stopping O'Mahonys as they secure semi-final place
Bective's brave challenge falls well short
Sometimes a team needs something to spark them into life. Some little incident that can set them on their way.
O'Mahonys looked lively enough in the opening 11 minutes of this IFC quarter-final encounter at Simonstown this evening.
Then they conceded a penalty calmly, brilliantly despatched to the net by Bective's Marty Mulhall. It was a textbook spot-kick that gave O'Mahonys netminder Niall Devlin no chance. Bective, the rank outsiders, led 1-1 to 0-2.
Like a light going on O'Mahonys found another level. For the remainder of the opening half it was they who dominated producing their fast-paced, quick-passing football that any team would have had difficulty in containing - and not just at the intermediate level.
By the 17th minute O'Mahonys had drawn level. By half-time they were in front, 1-9 to 1-2 and you know it was going to take something special from Bective to haul them back into line.
Sure Bective battled and fought for everything in the second-half but they just didn't have the cutting edge to seriously threaten O'Mahonys' supremacy.
The Hoops are a extremely fit team, full of pacy runners who move the ball from defence upfield with lightning-quick rapidity; like a speed train at full trottle.
They also have range of point-takers in their team with eight players getting on the scoresheet in this contest. Their goal was scored by Duggie Dillon on 20 minutes. It was a product of one of those rapid-like attacks with Robbie Keelaghan firing low to the net after taking a pass from Con Smith.
O'Mahonys always seemed to have an extra player available for a pass with backs such as Brian Dillon joining their attacks and helping to add a different dimension. They did, however, miss some good chances clocking up nine wides.
Keelaghan capped another fine display in this year's championship with 1-3 while Ivo Fitzherbert, Dillon Aodhan Mallon, Oisin O'Brien, Ronan Clarke, Mike O'Reilly and Darragh Murphy were others to make notable contributions.
Referee Martin Dawson also played his part in helping to ensure this was an entertaining encounter by letting the play flow.
Bective never gave up the fight even though at the interval it was clear they were dealing with a force that was about as easy to contain as a whirlwind.
Apart from Mulhall the only other Bective player to score was Con Smith. Players like Tristan O'Neill and Cathal McConnell ran and ran but O'Mahonys don't give much away at the back. Near the end Ciaran McConnell provoked a smart save from Devlin.
Even a goal then would not have changed the outcome of this contest which was of some historical significance.
It was the first championship game at this level between O'Mahonys and Bective, near neighbours but who live in different worlds when it comes to resources.
Navan O'Mahonys - Niall Devlin; Darragh Murphy (0-1), Brian Dillon, Sean Betson; Sam Formosa, Niall McGrane, Darragh Maguire; Mike O'Reilly (0-1), Shane Maguire; Aodan Mallon (0-2 one free), Robbie Keelaghan (1-3 one free), Duggie Dillon (0-2); Oisin O'Brien (0-1), Ronan Clarke (0-1), Ivo Fitzherbert (0-3). Subs - Craig Munnelly-O'Toole for Clarke 48m, Conor Brady for D Maguire 52m, Cormac Keyes for O'Brien 55m, Eoin Joyce for Kelleghan 58m.
Bective - Scott O'Sullivan; Neil Dowdall, Jack Grant, Mark Dowdall; Kevin Brennan, Finn Murray, Matthew Cully; Mark O'Brien, Tristan O'Neill; Cathal McConnell, Ciaran McConnell, David Donnelly; Marty Mulhall (1-5 penalty, four frees), Con Smith (0-1), Luke Heneghan. Subs - Sean Keating for Ciaran McConnell 25m, Jarlath Brennan for Murray, Cormac Gorman for Heneghan both 46m, Ciaran McConnell for Cully 49m, Craig Roche for Brennan 60m.
Referee - Martin Dawson (St Michael's).