Shane O'Connor's second chance has been a Brian Ogs blessing as midfielder seizes big chance

Managers can pay lip service to the idea of squad strength, a psychological tool to maintain motivation, but not in Steelstown’s case. Indeed in Shane O’Connor, the Brian Ogs have the very embodiment of squad strength.

Injury cost the big midfielder his place in Hugh McGrath’s starting line but the form of the team kept him out to the extent he only saw one minute of action in the county final victory over Greenlough in November. Undeterred and cheering his team-mates on from the bench, O’Connor worked harder than ever, hoping his chance would come again. And it did.

Steelstown looked out of sorts in the first half of their Ulster Championship quarter-final against Monaghan kingpins Donaghmoyne and trailed 2-03 to 1-03 at half-time, which prompted McGrath to go to his bench. He chose O’Connor and the midfielder helped inspire a breath-taking second half that saw the Brian Ogs win 4-13 to 2-07 and he hasn’t looked back, cementing his place alongside Ryan Devine in the Steelstown engine room.

“I haven’t looked back since I got into the team,” smiles the modest O’Connor, “In years gone past if you had come back from injury you could nearly have walked straight back into the team, but the strength and depth this year you just don’t know if you are going to get back in.

“I only got on for a minute in the county final and then my next proper minutes was that Donaghmoyne game. I was delighted to take my chance. I kept things simple and thankfully I haven’t been too far away from the team since then.

“Training at the minute is the highest quality it has ever been. In previous years we definitely had top quality players as well, the likes of Stephen Cleary, but this year we have had a much more balanced squad and hopefully that will stand for us this weekend.”

That strength in depth is likely to face its biggest challenge yet on Sunday when Steelstown face off against a big and physically strong Trim side.

“Trim are going to be another stern challenge for us, but against Na Gaeil we knew that was going to be a very tough ask, had to dig in and we did. From what I have seen from the videos, Trim is probably going to be the best team that we’ll play but we’re there to give it our all and that’s all we can do. We’ll give it 100 per cent and see where we’re at once the final whistle is blown.”