Senior Championship Group 3 Preview: Blues set tough opening task

ANCHOR TOURS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 3

Last year’s runners up Newtown Blues will be hopeful of going one better this year, but their first challenge will be to navigate their way through a group that also includes St Josephs and St Patrick’s.

NEWTOWN BLUES

The Drogheda side are clearly one of the favourites to lift the Joe Ward Cup later this year, having pushed Ardee St Mary’s all the way to a replay.

Despite trailing by nine points after just five minutes, they did find a way back into the contest, even leading as the tie entered injury time, only to be denied by a late Daire McConnon equaliser. Both teams had purple patches and will feel they should’ve won on the day.

The replay lived up to the billing. Despite leading by a point at the break, when it mattered most it was Ardee who were able to pile on the pressure, upping their intensity around the middle and dictating the pace of the game to quickly turn that deficit into a five-point lead and win by 1-18 to 1-15.

Prior to this defeat the Blues had steamrolled Geraldines, alongside working hard to get one over St Josephs and St Mochtas. Their only defeat coming at the hands of St Patricks. More on that game to come.

Despite their run in the championship, the league has not been a happy hunting ground for the Newfoundwell men. They disappointingly missed out on the top half of the table, having been league finalists last year. After the split came improvement, as they ended the year with eight wins and eight losses.

Blues threats come all over the park. Andy McDonnell, Alan Connor, Colm Judge and Ciaran Downey to name just a few. They should have enough to reignite their form come championship.

Senior Championship Group 1 Preview: Jocks keen to make it back to the final

Senior Championship Group 2: Geraldines look capable of another long run

ST JOSEPHS

Taking them on in round one is St Josephs, a team that will be hopeful they can rock at least one of their two more fancied opponents.

They were quarter finalists last year, with the Blues being the team to end their championship dreams. The Joes put them under pressure, forcing turnovers anytime the Blues went long from their own kickouts and drawing fouls after some nice movement when on the ball.

Ben Colier and Gabriel Bell were on song that day, so too was county panelist Conall McCaul, but ultimately, they did eventually fall away by 2-14 to 0-14. Earlier on they also had a big win over Dundalk Gaels, but were one of Ardee’s many victims in 2023 too.

Looking to their recent form, the Darver and Dromiskin based side didn’t make the top half of Division 2, but they did at least manage to finish top of 2B, their final tally finishing at eight wins, three draws and just five losses.

ST PATRICK'S

St Patrick's are a team that has been ultra consistent over the past few seasons, despite not making it into any major league or championship deciders.

They started the 2022 championship with a loss to St Mochta’s, the third year in succession they have lost to the Louth Village men at this stage. But in the end they had the last laugh.

Trailing by two late on, the Newtown Blues focused on keeping possession at the expense of going for scores, as the final deficit of two points saw both the Lordship men and Newtown progress.

However, that shouldn’t be what this tie is remembered for, as Pats were deserving winners; showing a greater hunger, commitment, work rate and desire to win.

Those traits were in abundance as they faced off with Naomh Mairtin in the Quarter Finals. There was rarely more than two between them, but it was the Jocks who managed to narrowly get the win, 1-7 to 0-9.

Looking to the league and St Pats have been another team hitting some decent form. They finished the league in third place after securing nine wins, one draw and succumbing to just five defeats.

Cathal Grogan, Aidan McCann and Jack Murphy can be expected to play big roles for the Pats, while county stars Ciaran Murphy and Leonard Grey add extra bite to an already strong looking team.