Mark O’Mahony’s journey started in Carrigaline before his breakthrough at Cork City. He then arrived at Brighton just under two years ago, and after rising through the ranks at the Seagulls his Premier League debut arrived last season as the 19-year-old was also rewarded with a new three-year deal.
This season, his path has taken him a short drive west to Championship side Portsmouth, where he’s on loan until next summer. It’s still early days, but with two goals in his last two league starts, he’s relishing this new chapter in his career.
So how has he found the Championship compared to U-21 football back at Brighton?
“It’s almost like a different sport at times, it’s completely different,” said O’Mahony, speaking from the Ireland U-21 camp ahead of tonight’s huge Euro 2025 qualifier at home to Norway (7.0).
“The biggest thing for me wasn’t even the playing, it was more the fans, knowing there are so many fans there but it makes it so much better. The physicality and intensity is a lot higher too but I feel like I’m doing well. The biggest thing for me was to learn men’s football.
“You actually get to feel pressure. They tell you there is pressure in Premier League 2 (U-21 league) but it’s not really pressure. Here you are playing with lads whose jobs are on the line at the end of the day. It’s only driving me on because I actually enjoy it, I play better with pressure. It’s a big factor in men’s football when you have fans travelling the country and paying money to come and see you, pressure comes with that, so it has been a massive difference.
“No matter how old you are or where you play, there’s always going to be pressure on you. Look at the best players in the world, (Cristiano) Ronaldo is 39 and still plays under pressure. That’s why the loan this season was all about these experiences, you don’t get it at academy level.”
Portsmouth’s Fratton Park may only hold just over 20,000 spectators, but O’Mahony has found it a particularly special place to perform.
“I wasn’t expecting the atmosphere to be that good. When I came on (for my debut) I was like ‘f*****g hell’,” smiled the Corkman, who made three Premier League appearances last term before netting his first senior Brighton goal in League Cup action last August.
“It’s different to the Premier League, but for me, I think the atmosphere is actually better than a lot of the Premier League. The fans are unbelievable. They live and breathe the club. I never really knew it beforehand, how big it is here.
“I have been told all about it (Portsmouth’s ‘glory years’ in the top-flight from 2003 to 2010). They showed me videos of (Thierry) Henry saying that Fratton Park was one of the best places he’s ever played at, Alex Ferguson said something similar too. I don’t think I have ever been in a stadium like it. When you stop to look around and see 21,000 people watching you, there’s no room for hiding. It’s class.”
Being able to handle the pressure will be key over the next few days as Jim Crawford’s U-21 side look to qualify for Euro 2025 in this final window of the campaign. A win over Norway at Turner’s Cross tonight would secure a November play-off and set up a winner-takes-all clash with Italy next Tuesday.
But this evening, O’Mahony will hope to make his first U-21 appearance in his old stomping ground, only a short hop from the family home.
“It would be a nice one, hopefully I can get a goal and three points. I’ll have family there and friends. I can’t wait,” he added, with three U-21 caps to his name to date.
“It helps the fact it’s in Cork. I love it. Playing for Ireland at Turner’s Cross, having grown up there and supported (Cork City) there, it’ll be a nice feeling to have. We know what’s on the line and know if we can go through, we can create history. We fully believe we can go and do it.”
