By Cian O’Connell

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For more than two decades Eamonn O’Hara has served the Tourlestrane cause with dynamism and distinction.

Having won eight Sligo SFC titles as a player O’Hara and his friend and former colleague Gerry McGowan steered Tourlestrane to glory as a joint management team.

O’Hara, who spent 19 years on the  inter county beat with Sligo, is now planning and plotting to cause a Connacht SFC shock against Castlebar Mitchels at Markievicz Park on Saturday.

“It is a challenge, despite everybody believing we don't have a hope and odds of 1/40 on a Castlebar win, that we haven't a prayer, we know what we can do,” O’Hara told GAA.ie.

“We know what would be required if we are to pull a win. We would want everything to go exceptionally well on our side, we will need exceptional performances from everybody.”

For the past month Tourlestrane, who defeated St Mary’s in the Sligo decider on October 2, have monitored the Mayo Championship with a keen interest.

“We've watched Castlebar since we won the County Final five weeks ago,” O’Hara says. “We knew we would get an opportunity to see the Mayo Championship first hand so we made it our business to go to watch the Castlebars, Ballintubbers, and Breaffys of this world in their group games, Quarter Finals, and Semi Finals.

“We watched Castlebar every week for the last few weeks, they have been super strong. Ballaghdereen played very, very well against them at the Quarter Final stage.”

What has struck O’Hara, though, is how Castlebar have been able to finish matches strongly which was illustrated during last weekend’s convincing County Final triumph over Knockmore, who had started well.

“All of the games were kind of a carbon copy, every team they played apart from when they played Ballintubber putting the game to bed very, very quickly, not allowing Ballintubber to play,” is O’Hara’s verdict.

“Every other team was in the game with them for 40/45 minutes, but their experience, know how and their guile and their physical ability and footballing knowledge helped them to get across the line in the last 10 or 15 minutes. They can see out, and close out games.

“Very similar to a very good county team, most teams will stay with teams now for 40-45 minutes now in terms of fitness levels. Eventually the quality comes to the top, they are no different at club level.

“They are capable of winning an All Ireland. A Sligo club team won't be on their horizon in terms of being a problem for them.”

Since returning to the top of the pile in Sligo, Tourlestrane’s focus has been on delivering a performance in the provincial Championship.

“Once Castlebar won it we knew we had a lot of homework done, we have let the lads know what is required, what is needed, what has to be done,” O’Hara remarks.

“It is good that way, yes we have had a good long run in, we've had plenty of time to see them, but we can only worry about our players - how they respond, how they can be mentally tough when they hit the 40-45 minute period in terms of not being steamrolled.

“I'll use the word, we have to be brave, we have to go for it, but at the same time we cannot show naivety.”

When O’Hara finished with the Yeats County, he quickly became involved in underage Sligo teams before a stint training Ballaghdereen. Guiding Tourlestrane to glory was a noteworthy achievement, operating as a manager poses questions and O’Hara enjoys trying to find solutions.

“It is a different challenge,” O’Hara acknowledges. “The challenge as a player, it is well documented, and I hate using the same cliche, but as a player you worry about yourself, albeit that you were part of a team that wanted other players to play well and perform well.

“Ultimately you were just looking after yourself - you couldn't rely on anybody else to do anything for you. Now you are basically minding 32, 33, 34 guys.

“That is a challenge, but you learn a little bit more about yourself as the games go on. You get stuck into the game with how things are going, you are almost kicking every ball."

That will always be the case for O'Hara, who remains a truly passionate figure about the game in the north west.