The game was just five minutes old when Dicksboro shocked the homeside with the quality of the goal. Their approach play was economical with the direct ball into the attack but a superb strike from Conor O'Loughlin left John Brennan in the Blues goal helpless. Dicksboro continued to play with a degree of authority and it was midfielder John O'Gorman who increased his sides lead with a long range point. As O'Hanrahans struggled to get into the game they were dealt a further blow after eight minutes when centre-forward Stephen Kennedy volleyed a ground ball to the net, to put his side into a 2-1 to 0-0 lead and a shock looked on the cards.

Kavanagh spearheads eight point turn-around

O'Hanrahans 1-7, Na Fianna (Dublin) 1-5:& And so the fairytale continues. O'Hanrahans possessed of limitless reserves of heart and determination, backed up a huge degree of skill, laid low the challenge of the multi-talented Na Fianna, the reigning provincial champions, in a marvellous AIB Leinster Club senior football championship final at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Sunday last. 
O'Hanrahans had been left waiting in the wings of their town colleagues, Eire Og, as they strove to five provincial titles during the nineties, but their attack on this years provincial championship, in only their second year at this level of football, was a supreme effort which commanded bravery and resilience.
These have been characteristics which have been synonymous with the O'Hanrahans effort throughout their marvellous adventure.
Casting aside the fact that Na Fianna were the warmest favourites in years to retain a trophy, O'Hanrahans played with such passion and control that few would have begrudged them a wider victory margin
When Na Fianna realised that this game was slipping away from them they threw everything at the Blues following their goal eleven minutes from the end.
In turn O'Hanrahans met the challenge head on with the defence magnificent as Andrew Corden, Ken Walker and inspirational captain, Niall English, played inspirational football to keep their goal intact for a closing ten minutes in which neither side managed to register a score. 
From the outset O'Hanrahans played with fierce ferocity. Playing into the stiff breeze the Dublin champions set about stamping their authority on proceedings. However they met with stonewall resistence as O'Hanrahans cast reputations aside and took on the challenge in what transpired as a marvellous game of football. 
Having soaked up the initial pressure O'Hanrahans worked the ball out of the defence with their short passing game and it was Pa Kavanagh who saw his fourth minute effort deflected for a fruitless '45'. There were still some wonderful passages of play played at a lightning pace and it was an excellent O'Hanrahans moved which opened the scoring after five minutes. 
Wing-forward Gavin Walker despite the close attentions of his marker Stephen McGlinchey picked out Brian Walker with a marvellous crossfield ball and the corner-forward neatly stepped inside Thomas Lynch to kick a delightful point. 
As far as Na Fianna were concerned they were been faced with a huge challenge. Philip Nolan was getting the better of All-Star Kieran McGeeney in the aerial battle, while Ken Walker was outplaying Dessie Farrell. Inside Jason Sherlock and Des Mackin were outmanouvered by the excellent Barry English and Andrew Corden, and one could see the frustration of Team Manager Paul Caffrey grow, as they were unable to breakdown the Blues defence.
This was the period in which O'Hanrahans laid the foundations for their victory effort for it took Na Fianna until the fifteenth minute to open their account through an Ian Foley pointed free.
Despite this the Blues bounced straight back to the attack and after Seamus Farrell had been fouled, Pa Kavanagh pointed the resulting free, to restore his sides single point advantage seventeen minutes into the game.
There were still thirteen minutes left and Na Fianna began to turn the screw as they drove forward relentlessly. The O'Hanrahans defence was magnificent with the Dublin champions only managing two further points through Senan Connell, who stormed forward out of defence to join the attack, and one from substitute Karl Donnelly which left them with a 0-4 to 0-2 interval lead.
However it was in the lead up to the break that O'Hanrahans demonstrated their footballing ability when following a sweeping moved involving, Philip Nolan, Pa Kavanagh and Gavin Walker, corner-forward Brian Walker saw his effort for the corner of the net taken off the line by corner-back Noel O Murchu.
O'Hanrahans had survived a first half onslaught, while also demonstrating their own attacking qualities, which they imposed on the game within minutes of the restart.
After Anthony Kavanagh was wide with an effort, it was David Bermingham who claimed a ball breaking out of midfield to storm forward for a delightful point, leaving the minimum separating the sides inside two minutes.
O'Hanrahans rearguard effort was give a further boost when corner-back Niall English showed tremendous positional sense to break up a Na Fianna attack from which they moved the ball quickly forward.
The Dublin champions defence been stretched conceded a free and with the ball brought in a further ten metres from the sideline for dissent it was Pa Kavanagh who had the sides level 0-5 apiece after five minutes. 
Philip Nolan and Alan Bowe were now getting a definite grip on midfield and it was a twelfth minute Pa Kavanagh pointed free after Alan Bowe had been fouled which gave the Blues back the lead.
One minute later Kavanagh was once again on target from a free and the Blues were now amazingly two points clear, 0-7 to 0-5, at which stage panic crept into the Na Fianna plans as they introduced two substitutes within the space of a minute.
Now it was the turn of Na Fianna to defend. Barry English broke up one of their few incursions into Blues territory and his lengthy delivery down the wing was picked up by Brian Walker.
Walker took on and beat Thomas Lynch, and as the last defender approached, and with Anthony Kavanagh screaming unmarked inside for a pass, it was Walker who took on the responsibility to shoot a marvellous low drive to the corner of the net.
Thirteen minutes into the second period the Blues supporters were singing in the downpour as they enjoyed a six point advantage, 1-7 to 0-4.
Na Fianna realising that the game was slipping away from them, had their first score of the second period a Mick Galvin point on fifteen minutes, but the Blues defence were coping magnificently with the running of Dessie Farrell while they completely cut out the threat of Jason Sherlock and Des Mackin.
The Leinster and Dublin champions now pressed forward incessantly and when a ball broke on the edge of the square it was Aaron Shearer who reacted quicket to first time to the roof of the net, and suddenly just two points separated the sides, with eleven minutes remaining.
On another occasion O'Hanrahans would have panicked but they retained their composure, continuing to play attractive passing football, but they still had to live through a tense closing five minutes as Na Fianna laid siege to their goal.
All of the defenders at some stage or other during this nerve wracking finish got a hand or boot to the ball as they held the Na Fianna siege, and having endured two minutes of injury time the celebrations began on the final whistle of Referee John Bannon.
O'Hanrahans: John Brennan, Barry English, Andrew Corden, Niall English (captain), Breffni Hannon, Ken Walker, Ken Kavanagh, Philip Nolan, Alan Bowe, Gavin Walker, Pa Kavanagh (0-4), David Bermingham (0-2), Brian Walker (1-1), Anthony Kavanagh, Seamus Farrell. Sub: Brian Quigley for Farrell. 
Na Fianna: Stephen Gray, Noel O Murchu, Brian McManus, Thomas Lynch, Senan Connell (0-1), Nigel Clancy, Stephen McGlinchey, Sean Forde, Kieran McGeeney, Mick Galvin (0-2), Dessie Farrell, Aaron Shearer (1-0), Ian Foley (0-1), Jason Sherlock, Des Mackin. Subs: Pat McCarthy for McManus; Karl Donnelly (0-1) for Forde; Donal Keegan for Foley.
Referee: John Bannon (Longford).

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