Brady pleased Mohill nearing full strength after Connacht Gold SFC Quarter Final victory

Mohill reminded everyone just why they are reigning champions when they brushed aside Glencar Manorhamilton in the second half of last Saturday’s Connacht Gold SFC Quarter Final but for manager Danny Brady, it was the first time his team went into a game at almost full-strength.

Speaking after their 1-16 to 0-11 win in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, Danny said “Today was probably the most experience and the most quality we had out on the field at the one time -  apart from Jack Rowley, we're nearly at full strength now. At the beginning, even the end of the league, we couldn't get a team together the whole year, it was just horrid frustrating.

“We got the majority of them back then for the Ballinamore game in the first round and then we had to go down a week later to Leitrim Gaels and we had four lads missing from that team. It has just been disruption the whole time and we just haven't got a settled team the whole time.”

To add to the difficulty, Danny himself was late taking on the job and he paid tribute to Mohill legend Ronan Kennedy for keeping the ship on the right track: “I was late coming in, I was involved with the Cavan with the U20s. I hadn't planned to be anywhere and then it ended up that I didn't get in here until the end of May or the beginning of  June and it was very hard coming in. 

“I was blessed to have Ronan Kennedy there. He's been there from the beginning of the year. It's great to be able to fall back on Chick, he's done most of the work, really, to be honest with you. He's a great lad to have alongside us. He's been there and done all that so, when he talks, they listen and I just get on with putting down the cones.”

REACTION: KELLY SAYS GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON NOWHERE NEAR THE FINISHED ARTICLE

Looking at the match, Danny admitted he was thrilled to go in at halftime a point up after playing against the wind: “I thought we played well in the first half, there was a bit of a breeze blowing down towards the time goal. To be ahead at half-time, playing into that small bit of a breeze, we were content enough at half-time. 

“Look at Jack and Sweeney and McNulty in the middle of the field there, look at them, good ballers, so we knew we had to watch them, but then if you start watching them and take your eye off a few other boys, you could be in a bit of bother. It was just about everyone stepping up to the plate and to a man, we thought we'd done that fairly admirably the whole game.

“We were happy coming in at halftime, I think and we had the goal chances and we didn't take any, possibly could have had a penalty. But look, we just knew if we kept plugging away, we might get another goal chance or two and if we got that then, it was going to take a good team to overturn us in the end.”

The return of Jordan Reynolds is another plus and for Danny, the priority was to get the sharpshooter more playing time: “Jordan has been through a tough time the last couple of months there, a very bad ankle break, but it's good. He's probably not where we want him to be. We have to start giving him a little bit of game time to try and get him going.”

As for the rest of the championship, Danny believes Mohill will make a good shape at defending their title: “We're starting to just get things right at the right time I suppose. When you get here now at this stage, it doesn't really matter who you get. We probably owe the two of them now at this stage so, it doesn't really matter. We'll take who we get and hopefully on the day we'll do ourselves justice and be the best team on the day.”