SCENES of unbridled joy took place at the Old Bedians ground in Manchester when Dunedin Connolly’s from Edinburgh became champions of the All-Britain for the first time since 2009.
Dunedin Connolly’s 1-19 John Mitchels 2-14 (after extra-time)
Glencolmcille native Cormac O’Gara’s men overcame John Mitchels from Liverpool in a classic encounter that was befitting of the occasion.
At the final whistle, the former Naomh Columba man showed his emotion perhaps more than he ever has since he joined the club over a decade ago. As if the demons of previous disappointments on the All-Britain stage had been exonerated and a look of sheer delight as he embraced his players that suggested that it was worth the wait.
In a game where Connolly’s looked as though they’d done enough to win the affair during normal time, their three-point lead in the dying moments of stoppage time became undone when Mitchels levelled with a late goal from John McCartan. From their next attack, Séan Malée still had the chance to win it for O’Gara’s side with a free but his effort sailed wide.
Extra-time commenced with Connolly’s upping their intensity of attack and were unfortunate once again not to retake the lead when Daniel Loftus saw his seemingly goal-bound effort crash off the inside of the post. They would sneak into a one-point lead just before the halftime in extra-time when former Mayo panellist Frank Molloy slotted over.
With the likelihood being that this is to be O’Gara’s final season with the club he has served with such vigour for six of the last eight seasons, it was almost written in the stars that he would go out as an All-Britain champion as his reward.
That fairytale ending became something that Connolly’s began to believe in as they sneaked into a four-point lead with two minutes to go. O’Gara deployed the services of another club stalwart, Alan Ward, at this point.
O’Gara and Ward had joined Connolly’s around about the same time period back in their earlier twenties and in a somewhat typical fashion, who else but Ward put the seal on a famous win for his side with a gem of a score from a tight angle.
Dunedin Connolly’s lead of five was not to be undone by a late penalty scored by Mitchels and as the final whistle blew, the script was complete.
[adrotate group=”53″]On the side-line carrying out media responsibilities was Connolly’s PRO and Letterkenny native, Jonathan Foley: “The game was something like you’d see in a dramatised piece of fiction. Obviously this was an all club affair but the moment truly belonged to Cormac. Not many more managers have done more for their club than he has for us.
“He’s been away with his work a lot this year over in Glasgow, but has still been commuting back and forward for training and down through the years, the commitment he’s shown has been widely admired. He’s great to work with on all club matters and as clubmate, a friend and a fellow ‘Donegalian’, I was delighted to see him as happy when I shook his hand at the end of the game.”
In his time with Dunedin Connolly’s, O’Gara won five Scottish domestic championships as a player; his first coming in 2004, just one season after he’d lifted a junior title with Noamh Columba following their win over St Eunan’s.
And his first stint as manager ended successfully when he brought Connolly’s to their only other British title in 2009; he also won a British Universities Championship with Napier University in 2010.
[adrotate group=”81″]O’Gara would then return as Connolly’s manger in 2012 and since then, he has won four out five Scottish championships and had to endure losing the All-Britain final of 2013. This season though, the Edinburgh side had everything fall in their favour through a season of serious graft by the players, management and everyone involved with the club.
This is not yet the end for Cormac O’Gara due to the fact that next month, they will face the impending champions of Leinster in the All-Ireland JFC quart-final in a game that’s likely to take place in either Manchester or Edinburgh.
Malin-born Éanna Newton played his part in Sunday’s win before picking up a knock. He is hopeful of a return to full fitness by that game.
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