The making of Peter O’Mahony
PETER O’MAHONY has honed his reputation as one of the finest defensive lineout technicians and ball snafflers in the global game.
Just ask the All Blacks, who saw the momentum swing away from them last November as the flanker stole ball at the ruck and even tore back to snuff out a certain New Zealand try, despite injury.
Bloody-mindedness is to be expected, as is the thousand-yard stare. Here, those who saw his rise fill us in on his evolution as key man for Munster and Ireland.
THE FRIEND
Childhood pal Peter Kelleher was O’Mahony’s hooker at Cork Con juniors, Presentation Brothers College and more
“We started playing at U8s – I think he started when he was about five or six – and he was always as competitive. He always just wanted to win.
“We played together from eight to 12 at Cork Con. At that time, he was still playing out-half. Then we went to
