LET’S START WITH Hamilton in 2012. There are no easy ways to talk up a 60-0 thrashing so Peter O’Mahony doesn’t even try.
A chastening experience, he doubted then if Ireland would ever beat the All Blacks during his career. They’ve now done it five times out of eight.
Numbers four and five came within the last fortnight, those back-to-back wins securing Ireland’s first series win in New Zealand.
“It means a huge amount,” said O’Mahony. “It’s not just the four weeks of work, you know, it’s been 18 months, two years of graft and understanding and learning.
“We had the French away loss (in the Six Nations) and the learnings that we took from the first Test at Eden Park on this tour. I’m delighted for the lads that they got their reward for the hard work they put in, especially the young fellas.
“The last time I played a third Test was 10 years ago and we were beaten by 60 points and this is a different animal, a different team, the way they learn; the way they adapt. The young guys are the ones who are really driving it on for us and I think there were no better men last Saturday.”
The thing that impressed O’Mahony most by the kids in his midst, the Dan Sheehans, the Caelan Doris’ was their calmness.
“We’re trying to get away from the emotion side of it,” he explains. That will come with international rugby in terms of how much that means to you but it’s about how you deliver your performance and how calm you can be when everything is going mental around you. “And in a third Test like that, a third Test series decider against the All Blacks away from home, it’s a mad environment and how cool can you be in those scenarios.
“That’s where we’ve got to, we can be calm, you know, after half-time when we concede three tries you come into a circle of people who are looking across to leaders, looking for information to see what we’re doing from the kick-off or how we’ve got to fix things rather than panic, looking up at the screen. That’s the difference.
“It’s about being in the moment and the boys, not only did we take what they had, which they’re always going to have their purple patch but we got back into the game. We clawed our way back, penalties. There was no-one getting uneasy, everyone stuck to the system.”
The upshot is Ireland are now the No1 ranked team in the world. More than that, they’re looking more resilient now than ever.
And for O’Mahony, who now has flecks of grey in his beard, you sense that he is cherishing every moment. It was only last November when he said that month was the most enjoyable of his career, even though he spent those weeks scrapping to get into the team. So where does this month rank?
“It’s no different. For me, whether you’re wearing 20 or six or 17 or one, to be amongst this group of people is special.
“People who never experience it, the environment is special and the coaching team has given us a great platform to play off. As well as that, the buzz and the craic that we have together different gravy and that’s why you want to get in.
“You’re learning all the time, which is a great environment to be in and an enjoyable place to be.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the leadership group and you’ve 80-odd Tests, 110 Tests whatever Johnny has, you’re constantly sharpening the knife, constantly getting better, constantly adding new little things to your game that can make a difference.”
That’s been a recurring theme with this Irish team.
They’re never satisfied even when they’ve made history.
Even in the aftermath of last Saturday’s 32-22 victory in Wellington, O’Mahony was referencing the things they got wrong rather than indulging in what they did right.
“Some of our defence wasn’t good enough; some of discipline gave them access. The most impressive thing is we’ve a lot more to go and a lot more to give.”
Irish fans hope so. They’ve gone to World Cups before with a lot of hope; they’ve arrived home before the postcards. But deep down O’Mahony believes this team is mentally stronger.
“You can’t predict the future but the group of players we have built – mixed with a few of the older lads – they are all incredibly hungry.
“We are building towards the World Cup. We are not going to say it isn’t the goal. This tour was a great test for us – two Maori games, three Tests, a bit of chaos.
“Guys had to double up which is the kind of thing you need to do in a World Cup. We have to prepare for that. Things went well (in New Zealand) but you have to bank that and move on.”
Last time he and Ireland moved on from New Zealand was a chastening experience. 60-0. The scoreline has never left him throughout his subsequent holiday. “I know I was only a young fella then but that summer was tough.”
This one will be better. “If you’d ask me then, could we win a series 2-1? I’d probably have said no.”
So let’s get us get this… Every Galway and Mayo fan are going down the one road to a match…
On top of that the traffic for the Irish Open will also be going on as Ennis is the where the Park and Ride is going from.
Seriously could Galway and Mayo just use there home and away agreement… Galway was next due and next time it would be Mayo… This is just embarrassing…
@Cowboy Paddy: should have been played on Hyde park roscommon
@@at: Hyde is not big enough to maximise the cash at the gate and lets be honest thats the first, last, and only consideration for any GAA fixture location.
@@at: happy with Limerick . Mayo have bad memories of that ground . Hopefully we can give them another nightmare
@Cowboy Paddy: Whats embarrassing is the notion that our infrastructure can’t handle two sporting events 50 miles apart and can’t handle 30,000 fans going down a motorway between our 3rd and 4th biggest cities.
@Finnster: because it’s only down the road for ye
@According to Di Marzio: The Motorway will be fine, I was on the M4/6 two years ago when Roscommon played Mayo, and Galway played Kerry in the quarter finals on the same day in Croker. It was very busy, but nothing compared to the 3 land M50 on a regular rush hour.
@Cowboy Paddy: however bad getting to limerick will be, nothing is as bad as getting in and out of Salthill for a game
@Cowboy Paddy: motorway all the way from tuam lad. Traffic would be 10 times worse if it was in castlebar or Salthill. Limerick is well used to these events with the likes of Munster and limerick gaa. It will be the finest
@According to Di Marzio: plus let’s be honest, nobody outside Roscommon wants to be going to Hyde Park. Traffic in the town would be ridiculous not to mention the vast amount of supporters who’d miss out due to its capacity restrictions
@According to Di Marzio: exactly
@Anthony: Hyde Park holds 25k (since the upgrade), just under 19k people attended Mayo v Armagh at the weekend, so capacity wise, there probably wouldn’t have been an issue.
@stephen keane: Galway borders Mayo , Kilmaine , Ballinrobe , Claremorris areas are all as close if not closer than parts of Connemara and Clifden. So it’s fair on both sides . One of us is going to have a long sad drive back home though after the game ; )
@Do the Bort man: don’t put a damper on the Mayo ego and how they’ll be bringing 35,000 fans to Limerick – all pure mad of course!
@Cowboy Paddy: it’s ok, there’s a motorway!! They built one sometime ago!!
@Anthony: motorway all the way from tuam alright. But what happens when everyone trys to use the same exits into limerick?
@Finnster: I hope so but the way we have been playing it’s hard to see it. We have played 2 mediocre teams and one average team so far and haven’t even remotely impressed. That type of form isn’t good.
@Cowboy Paddy: Has to be neutral venue for a game of this magnitude. Limerick is only down the road. You have a strange idea of what the word ‘embarrassing’ means.
@Finnster: they played us in the Gaelic Grounds last year and gave us a predictable walloping Finnster so there most recent memory is positive.
@mike Kennedy: true , forgot about that
@Tony Boyle: they are really going to have to step it up . The second half in the Connacht Final was dire
@Cryptoalcho: do a bit of research before you leave. There are lots of different exits you can take. Stadium is well served and more accessible than most I think.
“Capacity of 43k”. There was 44k at it yesterday. Funny that.
One game on RTÉ over the weekend. Sad !
@Nightowl: money hungry GAA – madness having the game in Limerick
Can we assume that Kerry vs Galway/Mayo will be on Sunday 14th July? (as the winner of Meath/Clare will be entitled to a 7 day turnaround in the Group’s other match).
It’s a complete joke that the GAA cannot tell us exactly what dates matches of this scale are being held until 6 days prior to the match itself.
I wonder what the attendance will be? Works carried out at Dr Hyde park has increased its capacity to 25,000 people. Surely that would have been enough, and closer for both the teams and supporters.
Ahh The sports grounds…
Tuam or Nowhere
According to this article both Mayo & Galway gaa agreed to the venue. Its their own county boards’ fault. There is also a big tiddly winks blitz on in Limerick, oh the mayhem.
@The don: Surprised Mayo agreed considering Limerick is closer to Galway
Really daft that two Connacht counties has to play a championship match in Munster. Both could have come together and agreed on a home venue like the agreement in place for Connnacht championship games. Hyde park was more than capable of hosting the expected crowd of 18 to 20k matter of fact there was 24k at the Connacht final in 2015 but GAA politics tells us other wise now.
Should be played in Dr Hyde Park. 8000 capacity wasnt an issue last year in Newbridge. Its down to greed. 7pm throw in as well. Sky dictates the starting times.
What a joke ,.
Surely there wont be anything more than 20k-25k max at Mayo-Galway game? Hyde Park would have been sufficient.
But sure the Gaelic Grounds and the throw-in time gives Mayo fans another reason to whinge, so everyone happy all round then.