'We just have to get our heads down' - Mohill manager Eamonn O'Hora on Leitrim SFC Final

Eamonn O’Hara doesn’t come across as someone who sugarcoats harsh truths and certainly the message to his Mohill team ahead of next Sunday’s Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final is that their semi-final display won’t be enough to get them across the line against Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins.

Speaking after their dramatic win over Fenagh, a lacklustre second half display clearly incensed the former Sligo All Star: “This is our fifth county final in a row and these fellas want to win but it is going to be very, very tough to go into the Final after a performance like that.

“We just have to get our heads down and try to eke out a better eight or nine out 10 performance from so many individuals. County Finals are there to be won - it's not about performance, it's not about how good or bad it is - it's about just trying to get the result.

“We rode our luck last year, probably didn't have much luck my first year. How we got there hasn't been impressive but we're definitely glad to be there and really looking forward to it.”

Performing when the chips have been down is a trait of this Mohill squad and their manager paid tribute to his players for their mentality: “When their backs are to the wall, they don't give up, you know what I mean? We have lost games in the past, we've lost county finals and I think the group knows how to eke out a win.

“We can put the full press on and we've got individuals that can just go and win a ball for you when it really, really matters. I'm glad for the group - we always said the goal at the start of this year was to get back to another county final and the consequence of getting back to another county final is that it gives you an opportunity to win back to back - which is something we've never done.

“That brings its own pressures so we just have to manage that but it comes down to performance now - we're going to be up against a brilliant Ballinamore team and we just have to wait and see what comes but we certainly have to improve an awful lot. Experience won't be enough on the day, we need to put in a better performance if we have any chance of winning.”

Maybe their struggles in the semi-final came from having a rather easier passage to the last four, although Eamonn was quick to highlight their dramatic victory over Annaduff as a big factor in their season: “Annaduff gave us the proverbial kick in the backside and we were lucky to get out of there and I think we addressed it and it was three weeks of a lot of work.
“We played a couple of challenge games but the reality was that we just needed to hit the ground running early and get into the game and we wanted to quench any sort of illusion that Fenagh might have in terms of being in the game. We started exceptionally well and probably should have been a little bit further ahead.”

There was also the challenge that Jordan Reynolds and Keith Beirne missed almost all of the group stages and while Eamonn highlighted the quality of the duo, he stressed the importance of strength in depth: “Jordy carried a bit of a knock going into the semi-final, he was 50-50 and thankfully he lasted it. Keith is an exceptional footballer and his attitude since he's come back from America has been absolutely unbelievable.

Eamonn O'Hora

“There's a lot of talk and noise about him but I have huge respect for him - he was kicking scores this morning down the pitch, that just tells you the type of fella he is. So for me, he's invaluable, he takes marking. But at the same time, he knows it's a team game and we can't just rely on Keith to get all the scores, we have to have the likes of Fiachra and Matty Murphy, obviously Jordan, Squidgey , the Harkins - all those guys have to step up and we're just glad to have them on our team.”

The strength in depth has been tested with the champions down five players from last year's semi final: “I'd rather talk about the fellas we don't have because we've lost five men that played in last year's semi-final so it's been a turnover of bodies, lads coming in and that's what you have a bench for so we're trying to manage it as best we can.”

As for the final, Eamonn expects his team to be ready on the day: “Obviously we will see what the Ballinamore will bring to the party and see if we can try and get a small advantage. We won't have any nerves going into it because we'll have that experience but Ballinamore will be the same.

“The final is a repeat of two years ago so it just heads down, get ourselves right, just try and eke out personal performances - I think that's what it comes down to - really, it just comes down to delivering a high end performance.”

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