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Rugby

16th Jul 2022

Tearful Peter O’Mahony delivers incredibly poignant post-match interview

Patrick McCarry

Peter O'Mahony

If you can see it, you can be it.

For long the motto for the brilliant 20×20 campaign, around women’s sports, Peter O’Mahony co-opted it when describing just what Ireland’s Test Series win will mean to the next generation, back home.

O’Mahony wrung the last effort of his season out on the Sky Stadium pitch for 66 minutes as Ireland beat New Zealand 32-22 to claim their first ever Test series victory over the All Blacks. To make matters all the more historic, it was a first on Kiwi soil, too. Indeed, Ireland have now beaten New Zealand in five of their last eight Test encounters.

As it became apparent in the final minutes, with Ireland 10 clear and on the attack, that a series win had been achieved, TV cameras caught O’Mahony in tears, hugged by S&C coach Jason Cowman. As his Munster and Ireland teammate Craig Casey passed him, he declared:

“Ya legend, ya.”

Peter O’Mahony on what Irish series win means

Sky Sport NZ caught up with Peter O’Mahony, moments after Johnny Sexton had lifted the Steinlager Series trophy, and the Munster captain perfectly captured what victory meant.

“Hard to put into words, really,” he began, before getting into his flow.

“That [crowd noise] says a lot, behind me. You know, it’s never been done before – to win here, to get a series win. It probably wasn’t something you thought about, as a youngfella. But now, there will be youngfellas at home who will dreaming of playing for Ireland and winning over here.

“It will have been done before. It won’t be the task that it was. It will never been taken away from that group. That they are the first to do it. Not only one win, but to win a series here.”

Peter O’Mahony started off, with Ireland and the Lions, losing five of his first encounters with New Zealand but the tide has turned since Soldier Field, Chicago, in 2016.

“We always believe we can win,” he said. “We know the work we put in. It’s an honest group of people. An incredible group, at that.

“We’re all very lucky to have incredible backing at home, from our families and those that aren’t here. We’re all good friends. Our coaches, too. These days are made by groups of people. Not just here but in the background, and folks at home as well. It means a huge amount to us, and them.”

“As I said,” O’Mahony concluded, “for the kids at home, a new path has been made for them.”

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