O’Mahony’s blueprint pivotal to 2000 perfection
The St. Nathy’s College senior football team that captured All-Ireland Colleges’ B honours in 2000. Back row (l-r): D. McNulty, J. McCann, D. Barrett, K. Johnston, M. Solan, B. Regan, D. Moran, J. Mitchell. Front row (l-r): S. Drake, O. Towey, S. Mangan, K. Mahon (captain), J. Carty, A. Moran, E. Towey. Picture: Michael McCormack (RIP)
Eamon Towey acknowledges that being part of the only St. Nathy’s team to win the All-Ireland Colleges’ B title represented the launchpad for his intercounty career.
A team that featured current Mayo manager Andy Moran, Longford boss Mike Solan, David McNulty and captain Keith Mahon from Éire Óg, and Derek Moran from Western Gaels carved out their own slice of St. Nathy’s history by getting the better of St. Augustine’s, Dungarvan, 3-9 to 3-7, in their final in Portlaoise at the turn of the New Millennium.
That success allowed the class of 2000 to join the illustrious 1957 team that had won the Hogan Cup in the annals of St. Nathy’s folklore.
Indeed, there were many other powerful teams nurtured in the Ballaghaderreen-based school, including teams in 1959 and 1968 that also won Connacht A titles. The history books show that 1968 was a red-letter year for the school — the year St. Nathy's captured Connacht A crowns at senior, junior and juvenile levels.
But it’s the 2000 team that is still waiting to pass on the baton to a new generation of players, and former St. Croan’s and Roscommon defender Eamon Towey has no doubt who was responsible for planting those seeds for success more than 26 years ago.
“We had John O’Mahony (RIP) as our manager from First Year up. There was a great mix of players from different clubs with various degrees of talent. But Johnno made sure that everyone was treated equally — from number 1 to 26.
“His mantra was very simple — either everyone wins a medal or no one wins a medal.
“We had won stuff with him at juvenile and junior, so there was a history of that group winning games. Did we ever think that there was an All-Ireland in us? Probably not, but we did the usual thing of taking it game by game. We were so well prepared.
“To be winners, you had to look like winners. He was big into everyone going out on the pitch with their socks pulled up back in those days. And if you didn’t, you weren’t starting,” recalled Towey.
An epic Connacht final success against Garbally College, Ballinasloe (now Clonfert College) in Dr. Hyde Park was typical of the strides Nathy’s made to achieve their success. Club and county rivalries were put to one side in the pursuit of a school — nestled between the borders of Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo — etching its name in colleges’ football folklore.
“Lads were just happy to be playing football under a legend of a manager. We were all rowing the one way. There was a bit of slagging and banter, but when it came down to the real business, there was no doubt what side of the pitch you were playing on.
“We beat a really good team from Dungarvan (in the final) who had been in the B final the year before. Most of their team had stayed behind to have another crack at it.
“We played two games before Christmas. But I think the turning point was that we trained over Christmas — Johnno had us down in Ballaghaderreen. He always reflected on that as the moment when he felt that there was something about the group.
“If you look back at our results, we won by a point or two at most. We snuck the Connacht final against Garbally by a point. We did well against Drogheda in the All-Ireland semi-final. The final finished 3-9 to 3-7 — all tight games,” Towey highlighted.
Winning that All-Ireland title with St. Nathy’s was the catalyst for Towey to go on and enjoy an intercounty career with the Rossies.
“I lost an All-Ireland club final in 2014 with Croan’s. I know what it’s like to lose one, but, thank God, I know what it’s like to win one. For me, that All-Ireland was the springboard for the small county career I had.
“Before we won that All-Ireland with Nathy’s, I had never been part of a Roscommon panel, not even selected for trials. Within three years of winning that, I played minor, U-21 and senior for Roscommon. My first senior game for Roscommon was against Galway in Salthill, and John O’Mahony was the Galway manager.”
And what advice has Towey for the class of 2026 ahead of Saturday’s big game against Cnoc Mhuire Granard?
“For our final, I remember us getting a little bit sidetracked. Back in those days, the finals used to be played in Croke Park. There was a big debate whether our final would be in Croke Park. As players, we wanted to play in Croke Park.
“Johnno could see we were getting distracted and he called a meeting. He asked us did we want to play a game of football in Croke Park or did we want to have a cut at winning an All-Ireland medal? After that, we were totally focussed on playing the game wherever it had to be played.
“It was going to be played on our terms because no one knew what the weather was going to be like, the referee or the opposition? So, I would say to the lads — don’t get distracted by any of the stuff that’s outside their control. I’m sure the management will have them well prepared for all the things inside their control,” he concluded.
