Navan O’Mahony’s 1-15
Drumree 1-10
Navan O’Mahony’s made their return to the senior hurling ranks with a five point win over Drumree on Sunday, making amends for a defeat against the South Meath side in the group stage.
Jack Walsh opened the scoring within a minute after Cormac Keyes was fouled shortly after throw-in. Two minutes later, Drumree equalised. Walsh again put O’Mahony’s ahead with a well-taken free from the sideline. This was followed by a great play between Tom Condon and Jack McConnell before Keyes finished with a point. Drumree responded almost instantly.
Two frees from Walsh in quick succession left three between the sides and an impressive point from Condon left four in it. The half back line of Keyes, Cormac O’Shea and Mark Usher were instrumental in this period where O’Mahony’s built a lead.
Drumree hit two wides from play before Walsh hit a 70+ yards free to leave five points between the teams. As was to be expected, Drumree soon hit a purple patch and scored three points in a row, reducing the gap to four. A goal opportunity was denied by hard work from O’Shea and Dermot McKenna, who combined with Finn McNally and Keyes to clear to safety.
Into injury time, a Walsh shot that dropped short was scooped up by Shane McCarthy who was fouled in the square. Walsh converted the resulting penalty, leaving O’Mahony’s in a good position at the break.
Navan O’Mahony’s 1-07
Drumree 0-05
O’Mahony’s knew they would have to keep the pressure on in the second half on a day where there was little wind to impact play. Walsh extended the lead to six with a 65 and Drumree pointed from play moments later. The sides exchanged points again and on the eighth minute, a block from Ben McEntagart and a subsequent save by John Foley were crucial.
A goal did come for the Drumree men when a long-range sideline was hit into the corner for the Drumree forwards to win possession and bat it to the net overhead. O’Mahony’s responded in the best possible way, hitting Usher with the puckout who played to the workhorse Sam Formosa. Formosa then set up Keyes who sent the ball over the bar.
McConnell then hit a great point from play before Keyes added another, after being set up by a good play from Jack Flynn and McCarthy. Conor O’Dwyer was introduced for McCarthy with ten or so minutes to go, and as ever proved a solid set of hands. The O’Mahony’s crowd was left chewing their nails when Drumree hit three points in a row, leaving two points in it and memories of Drumree’s late goal in the group stage in peoples minds! Paddy Dillon, who had given a man of a match performance, pointed from play after a great set up by Sean McDermott and a McNally interception. Keyes then hit the insurance point.
With four minutes injury time to be played, O’Mahony’s knew the game was there’s if they could just prevent a goal. A Drumree forward thought all his Christmases had come at once landing possession one on one with the goalie, until McEntagart flew through the air like Superman to make the block. Seconds later, he repeated the feat with another fine block.
A loose ball in the middle of the pitch was scooped up by the energetic Finn Malone and cleared towards the Drumree goal. With the clock ticking down, Dillon ensured he was in the right place to win a ball from the Drumree netminder, sending the ball over the net and in doing so, ensuring that Navan O’Mahony’s will be playing senior hurling in 2025.
After the game, County Children’s Officer and Navan O’Mahony’s stalwart, Michael Bennett, presented the cup to captain Cormac Keyes. Keyes delivered one of the finest acceptance speeches Páirc Tailteann has seen in a long time, including a fitting tribute to Donal Fitzsimons and Zak Moran, who would have been two very happy supporters yesterday.
Navan O’Mahony’s
John Foley, Dermot McKenna, Ben McEntagart, Finn McNally, Cormac O’Shea, Cormac Keyes (0-04), Mark Usher, Jack McConnell (0-01), Paddy Dillon (0-02), Jack Flynn, Sam Formosa, Jack Walsh (1-07), Finn Malone, Shane McCarthy, Tom Condon (0-01)
Conor O’Dwyer for McCarthy, Sean McDermott for Condon
