Nathy’s bidding for All-Ireland glory

NATHY'S TEAM OF CHAMPIONS Pictured is the St Nathy’s, Ballaghaderreen Hogan Cup All-Ireland winning colleges team of 1957. This year's St Nathy's team will be hoping to win the All-Ireland ‘B’ Colleges crown while Westport's Rice College will be bidding to follow in the footsteps of the Nathy's team of 1957. Back, from left: M Ruane, S McMahon, C Maguire, JT Cribben, T Kilcoyne, T Maguire, M Joyce, J Madden. Front, from left: J O’Grady, M Hanrahan, E O’Hara, G Boland, P Maye, G McManus, E Stenson.

Preview
Ger Flanangan

IT’S 18 years since St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen were last contesting an All-Ireland Post Primary Senior ‘B’ Final after they beat St Augustine’s, Dungarvan in an absolute thriller played in Portlaoise.
Before that, you have to cast your mind back to 1957 for their previous All-Ireland victory when the Ballaghaderreen based school became the first Mayo side to win the Hogan Cup.
Quite a drought for a school of their prestige, but a sign none the less of the pedigree it possesses. The man who guided them to that All-Ireland B success in 2000, John O’Mahony,  remembers that day fondly.
“It’s 18 years since we were there, believe it or not,” he told The Mayo News last night. “It’s fantastic to see them back at the top table again and also to see two schools representing Mayo in the two major finals.”
“I remember being in the dressing room after our victory that day and reminding the lads that this may well be the last day that we would all be together in the one room, in the sense that they were young students about to head off to college or their working lives.
“But they will always have that bond and it will be great if this year’s crop can get over the line in Croke Park.”
GAA HQ is the big variable from Johnno’s time in charge, and he believes that St Nathy’s preparation in the build up will stand to them on the day.
“Croke Park, it is every player’s dream to play there and it’s fantastic for these young lads,” he said. “To realise that dream at 17 and 18, and some of them are even 16, but it’s important they prepare for that.
“I was delighted to hear they went up for a walk around on Saturday and trained in Abbotstown which is the same dimensions as Croke Park, as sometimes it can pass you by and you need to be prepared for it.”
St Nathy’s will face Holy Trinity College, Cookstown of Tyrone, managed by former Tyrone legend Peter Canavan in a prequel to the ‘A’ final, which Rice College, Westport will contest.
O’Mahony admits the Ulster champions will be very strong, but feels St Nathy’s tough run to the final will stand to them.
“Holy Trinity will be battle hardened and it will be an interesting dual,” he said. “But St Nathy’s will have huge experience of those tight battles going into the final from their journey so far.
“They were a man down for the second half in the Connacht final, and coped admirably, and they got a goal in injury time in the All-Ireland semi-final to win it, so that will give them huge experience in that sense, preparing them for winning the hard way.”
And what advice would he give to the players of St Nathy’s?
“Just stay calm and effectively concentrate on the game, minute by minute,” he said. “Both teams will have their purple patches and both will have set backs, so it’s how you deal with them.
“And they have shown in this campaign that they can deal with them. So I would say have no regrets and leave it all on the field.”

Fixture
ALL-IRELAND POST PRIMARY SENIOR ‘B’ CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen v Holy Trinity College, Cookstown

Saturday, April 7 in Croke Park at 2pm