Birthday boy saves Mayo's day

THERE are many ways to celebrate winning an All-Ireland final, but Mayo Masters goalkeeper Kieran O’Malley may have set a new standard in that regard.
The Bonniconlon man was one of the stars of the show on Saturday evening when Mayo beat Roscommon in a hugely exciting Masters Plate final in St Croans.
The following day the renowned shot-stopper could be found enjoying afternoon tea in Adare Manor in Limerick.
In truth, the two events were not related, but when did the facts ever spoil a good story?
“It was a memorable weekend surely. Winning the All-Ireland on Saturday and getting spoilt in Adare for my birthday on Sunday means it will take some beating,” the well-known shot-stopper told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday).
“I was 42 yesterday and my girlfriend Liz treated me to a wonderful afternoon in Adare. “When we posted a picture on social media a lot of the lads thought we had found a new way of celebrating All-Ireland wins, so I let them think it,” the well-known PR and Digital Marketing Manager for Connacht Hospitality Group explained.
The Galway-based goalkeeper, who pulled off a game-winning save during Saturday’s final, has a large social media following and his ‘influencer’ status caused great fun recently at a Mayo training session when two worlds collided.
“Most of the lads in the squad wouldn’t bother too much with social media, but a lot of their wives would keep an eye on what I’d be at on the various platforms. We were in the dressing-room one evening before training when one of the lads came in and said, ‘The world is gone mad. My wife was on the phone to me there because she wants to know what type of shorts Kieran O’Malley is wearing!’
“Earlier that day I had posted something about a new range of shorts that I liked and one of the lad’s wives had picked up on it. It was some craic,” the former Ballina Town goalie added with a smile. But things had been deadly serious midway through the second half of Saturday’s final when Roscommon’s ace attacker Ronan Cox bore down on goal.
The scores were tied at the time and a goal at that stage would have gone a long way to winning the title.
“I almost had a heart attack when I saw Ronan get the ball and nobody near him. I had watched a video of Roscommon’s semi-final win and knew he was lethal when goal chances arrived. I coach the young goalies in Bonniconlon and always tell them to stay big as long as they can and force the forward to make a decision. I tried to follow my own advice and, thankfully, when he shot for goal I was able to stop it.”
Afterwards, Kieran and his team-mates celebrated their All-Ireland win with family and friends. “I was so proud to have family and loved ones there on Saturday. My mother and father, Mary and Johnny, were there and my nephew, Finn O’Connor had a Mayo jersey on him, even though his father is a Roscommon man, so we must be doing something right!”