Jocks add to their trophy cabinet via decisive victory

Sheelan Cup Final 2023

NAOMH MAIRTIN 1-11 MATTOCK RANGERS 0-4

Naomh Mairtin added another piece of history to their most decorated period by raising the Paddy Sheelan Cup for the first time, with near neighbours Mattock Rangers falling victim to the Jocks on Saturday night in Darver.

The 2020 and 2021 county champions haven’t gone away you know and new manager Declan McCoy has no doubt re-energised a solid, hard working group of pros. And with their Oz contingent away, some fresh additions got game time too.

The absences of Eoghan Callaghan, John Clutterbuck and Conor Morgan to Australia was unfelt and players, in their unusual positions, still produced the goods,  helped by a red hot Conor Whelan.

The final win capped off what was the perfect start to life in Monasterboice post Fergal Reel. The serial winner has been known to be a tough act to follow, but McCoy and co have given themselves a solid foundation.

The silverware will also buy them time too, and even minus their Louth players, this is a team McCoy has moulded in his own fashion. The omens look good, even if it is only April.

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Creating chances was not an issue in the second half, but it was in the even opening half. Neither side wanted to win the final in the opening half hour, although they both certainly didn’t want to lose it either.

The two teams were afraid to commit a mistake and were simply happy to size each other out. Ben McKenna landed scores for Mattock, while Conor Whelan’s good early season form continued for the Monasterboice outfit with four first half scores.

As a result of Whelan, his side led 0-5 to 0-3 at half time. Meanwhile, Mattock cornerback Ben Markey’s late score before Damien Connor’s interval whistle was to be Christy Grimes’ side's last score from play in the contest.

That point came in the 28th minute and Mattock would not find the target again until Aaron O’Brien notched a late free in the 22nd minute of the half. By that stage the game was a dead duck.

Despite the Mairtin’s freshness, the control and dogged defensive structure was still there and apparent in their work-rate. Tom Sullivan marshalled the lines, while Evan Whelan crashed into anything that moved.

The resumption began with Whelan finding the target with two shuffling points, helped by excellent build up play by both Stephen and Wayne Campbell. 

In stark contrast, Mattock really struggled to get any sort of attacking platform, which was compounded more by free taker McKenna fluffing his lines on four occasions. Each miss drained Mattock’s confidence.

Without the scoreboard ticking over, the Collon men’s hopes faded and Wayne Campbell found the net to seize ultimate control. The build up to the goal was Whelan’s snappiness, where he spotted the rushing Campbell in open space over the cover.

Campbell nearly missed, but his punch past Stephen Smith rebounded off the post and in. That goal five minutes into the half, alongside Mattock’s malaise in front of the posts, killed the game as a contest.

Craig Lynch came off the bench to trade frees with Aaron O’Brien, who finally got Rangers off the mark in the second half. There would be no further white flag for the Collon men, as McCoy’s side choked the game and scored the final's last three points in what was a very one sided finish.

Mattock, minus a number of key players, will no doubt regroup ahead of the league and take solace in that they have unearthed some depth to their shallow playing pool.

The Collon club had the smallest panel across senior and intermediate grades last season. Despite this, the pain of losing a final will sting. 

One of the McCoy newcomers, Paul Murphy, tellingly got the last score of the game to secure silverware at the beginning of the Dromintee man's reign, as his side ran out easy winners on the historic night.

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NAOMH MAIRTIN: Joe Gordon; Tadhg O’Brien, Tom Sullivan, Conor Healy; Jack Murphy, Seán Healy (0-1), Evan Whelan; Val Leddy (0-1), Wayne Campbell (1-0); Paul Murphy (0-1), Ben Callanan (0-1), Joe McGrane; Craig Callanan, Conor Whelan (0-6, 0-2 frees), Stephen Campbell. SUBS: Adam Booth, Craig Lynch (0-1 free), Cathal Dorian.

MATTOCK RANGERS: Stephen Smith; Cillian Hickey, Eoin McCloskey, Ben Markey (0-1); Darren Henry, Brendan Leacy, Ronán Kilbane; Jason Condon, Ben McKenna (0-2 frees); Terry Donegan, Ryan Leneghan, Robert Holmes; James Caraher, Aaron O’Brien (0-1 frees), Adam Flynn. Subs: Caoilte Hickey, Evan Dooley, Aaron Smith, Patrick Birch.

REFEREE: Damien Connor (St. Patrick’s)