There are times when winning is not about elegance and precision but rather about grit, determination and experience.

Experience was the key factor tonight,  bringing as it did a deep understanding of what was needed to win, the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and the mental toughness to push on and not panic when the game was there to be won.

We lined out as selected on the match programme with Laune Rangers making four changes to their original selection and having won the toss, playing with the breeze in the first half.

They adopted a defensive set up from the get go, often having up to 12 players defending keeping two up front at all times.

In the first half we were sometimes sluggish, sometimes ponderous and found it hard to break down the massed defence - Rangers for their part, dictated a lot of the play with Eoin Clifford, Eoin O’Sullivan at midfield and John Burke dangerous - the result was that we trailed by 3 points at the break, 0-06 to 0-03, our 3 scores all coming from play from Tomás Kennedy (2) and Gearóid Dillane.

We twice struck the post with fisted efforts but it was Laune who would have been the happier at half time following good scores from Eogan Hassett (3), John Burke (2) and Eoin O’Sullivan who had opened the scoring from play.

The 2nd half saw Laune extend their advantage again through Eoghan Hassett but Tommy had us back to a 3 point deficit before David split the posts from long range in the 5th minute.

Laune again hit back but then Tommy, now much more influential, won a long ball and laid it off to the inrushing Barry John who billowed the net from close range. It was now game on and when Tomás Kennedy fired over from a free we led for the first time.

The introduction of Cormac Coffey on 12 minutes was vital as he showed he has lost none of his skills when he made ground before slotting a lovely score to leave us two ahead with 12 minutes remaining.

Laune then hit back with 3 rapid points to go one ahead before Cormac, again found the target to leave the scores level 1-08 to 0-11 with only 4 minutes remaining.

Laune again took the lead with a score from play from sub John Tyther but then came the decisive moment when we attacked down the middle, Tommy again winning the ball before parting to Tom Hoare who  played a captain’s part as he found the bottom corner of the net low to his right. 

The clock ticked to 30 minutes when Eoin Clifford pointed to reduce the deficit to the minimum but the kickout was ours through David and following a good bout of interpassing BJ pointed off his left guaranteeing us the win.

There were still a couple of minutes to play but Laune failed to hit the target and the kickout brought out the best in Tomás who soared high to win us a vital possession and though we fell short with the effort at a point, it was enough to garner the win.

This was a real championship encounter, but it was in the big moments that our experience shone through. We dug deep, drawing on all our years of training and competing at the highest level and found a way to grind out the victory.

Every man deserves great credit for getting us over the line from Rob in goal who made two great saves, our defensive sextet who were tested time and again, our midfield duo of David & Tom who wrestled back control in the second half and our attacking unit who never stood back and kept the scoreboard ticking over. 

Commiserations to Laune Rangers who left with nothing to show for their efforts but there are 2 big games remaining and they will still have a big say in what two teams emerge from this group.

Final score: 

Team: Rob O’Connor, Darragh McElligott, Ross O’Callaghan, Donagh Buckley, Ben Hanafin, Jake Foley, Daniel Bowler, David Moran (0-01), Tom Hoare (1-0), Gearóid Dillane ( 0-01), Shane McElligott, Barry John Keane ( 1-01), Gearóid Savage, Tommy Walsh ( 0-01), Tomás Kennedy ( 0-03).

Subs: Cormac Coffey ( 0-02), Ryan Carroll, Con Barrett.