Louth GAA club | Downey: We would like to right that wrong

There is a sense of excitement at Newtown Blues as they are once again on the brink of Joe Ward Cup glory. At the centre of it all is Ciarán Downey, who prepares to captain his side into the Louth senior championship final against Naomh Máirtín.

For Downey, it’s been a standout year at both club and county level. Now he has the chance to claim a fourth senior championship medal.

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He said, “It would be the fourth. It's been six or seven years now since we've got over the line. We were beaten in 2022 after a replay against Ardee in fairness, and they went on to do the three in a row, and the Mártíns have won two since.

“It nearly feels like my first, and I know for a lot of the boys it feels the same. We're looking at it as the first medal rather than the fourth.”

The last number of finals have been dominated by Ardee St Mary’s and Naomh Máirtín, a reality that has only made the Blues hungrier to reclaim their place at the top.

“Credit to them. They're doing their business right. We were in the background. We were trying. We were hit with a few injuries here and there and a bit of emigration, like most clubs, but credit to them.

“For us, we pride ourselves on delivering championships, and every five or six years we seem to come back into the cycle so we're back here now on Sunday.”

Downey knows better than most what success tastes like. As part of the historic three-in-a-row winning sides from 2017 to 2019, he admits no one expected the wait for another title to take this long.

“Everybody always says that. You think you're going to go and win them every year, and it's going to happen that way.

“But ultimately COVID came, put a bit of a stall for us, other clubs went to work and came out different animals, and we kind of felt the brunt of it really.

“We've probably been taking a few years to get back up to the pitch of it, but this year thankfully we're doing a little bit better and we're improving each day, you could nearly say, but you've a lot to do.”

New faces

The Blues have undergone a quiet rebuild since their last final defeat to Ardee St Mary’s in 2022. Downey highlights the impact of young blood and county experience on the current squad.

“There's been a lot of lads coming in. Conor McCriosta, Ryan Kelly, there's an influx of eight or nine minors there that have come in and given us a boost, and we've had five lads back with the county team this year, which was a massive plus.

“The difference we can even see in them lads and ultimately you know the last final that we didn't get over the line, there's this thing there, it's not nice, so we'd like to right that one wrong.”

In form

The Blues’ county contingent has returned fully fit, and Downey believes their timing is beginning to align just when it matters most.

“We've hit some decent performances with this new game, and I keep saying this, it's very hard actually to deliver a 60-minute performance.

“I know we're all looking for that, we all want that, and I'm sure the next day, if we can get as close to that as we can, we'll be delighted.

“But we're doing relatively well, we've improved each game and we're tweaking as we go, so it'll be no different for Sunday, we'll hopefully have enough in the locker.”

New rules

Downey acknowledges the growing influence of two-pointers in shaping the modern game.

“They're a huge part, they're here and I don't mind when I'm kicking them over, but when you're on the receiving end a few times, if you're looking from that point of view.

“I suppose it is definitely adding, you're never safe, you never have the game won, you're always having to play the ball in front of you.

“But we are trying to utilise that as much as we can, depending on conditions and all the rest, but each team is the same.”

Group stage defeat

A late defeat against Naomh Máirtín earlier in the championship served as a reminder of the margins at this level.

“As you can see, the Joes game then puts us under serious pressure, and you're six up with four to go, you don't like losing those leads. I know there's a lot of lads hurt over that one in particular, and you've seen the response the next day.

“Obviously, you get the Marys then, and it's a huge battle again, and the same with the Dreadnots the other day, it went right to the wire. We probably got out of jail here or there, but that's the way it goes, the luck of the draw nearly keeps you going.”

Momentum

Victory over Ardee St Mary’s in the knockout stages came as Blues found their stride.

“Again, there's a lot of talk around that timing thing and the Marys are champions and we were in that four-in-a-row position and the Marys pipped us in the semi-final by a point.

“It's easy when you're doing the hunting, it's different when you're the hunted, and we felt that, and in fairness, the Marys are brilliant champions, the Martins have done it since, we feel like we're hunting here for a first.”

Semi-final

Their semi-final against the Dreadnots was another nail-biter.

“Credit to Clogherhead, they were always going to come out. It was going to be a very, very physical battle; there were a lot of hard hits going in.

“The football was decent at times, two good proper senior teams I felt, but when you're four up or five up, it's not a lead really anymore, you have to keep doing your business.”

“It's all about the team and we're lucky enough to have a few lads involved with county teams, lads in U20s All-Irelands.

“But there's a lot of boys here putting in a lot of yards behind the scenes that don't get the nod or don't get the credit, and they've been here since the start of the year.

“And it is about the group, it's about the club, it's a big day for us Sunday, there's been a bit of tragedy in our club this year.

“I know it happens in every club, and you nearly feel like you're playing for something a little bit larger, but it's definitely about the group and the club overall here.”

The venue

Integral GAA Grounds, Drogheda, has long been kind to the Blues, and Downey relishes the chance to battle the Jocks there.

“They're a good team, again they beat us in the group, they have it up on us at the minute, we want it back obviously.

“But Drogheda, I always enjoyed it, that's where we're from, we're lucky enough it's here beside us, there's great history between ourselves and the Mártíns in Drogheda.

“I think you always get cracking games like you've seen even in the group game this year, so yes, we're really looking forward to Sunday, I have to say.”

Honoured

Should Downey lift the Joe Ward Cup, he would follow in the footsteps of Emmett Carolan, the last Blues man to do so.

“It would be a nice honour, I am more focused, I'd love it just for the group and the team. I'm just very privileged and honoured that the lads down here think of me that way, and if I have the small part in lifting it, I'd of course be delighted.”

Finally, Downey credits manager John Kermode and the all-local backroom team for their impact.

“Yes, it's great, John played with all these lads here and he nearly knows us all inside and out. Sometimes it's not a good thing when boys are taking it a bit personally here or there, but no, it's been brilliant, we've all in-house with us at the minute.

“Jimmy Murray, and Eugene Judge, but it's massive to have our own people there, I suppose; it makes it a bit more personal for us.”