Inside Track: O’Mahony’s had three major wins in a golden period

The Leinster intermediate club championship was played for the first time in 2003, and it was Dundalk Gaels who took the title, beating Laois side, Arles-Kileen, in the final played at Páirc na nGaeil.

The blue-and-whites’ hopes of adding the All-Ireland title were dashed by St Michael’s, in Clontibret. The Donegal champions included Christy Toye and Colm McFadden, who would go on to figure on Jim McGuinness’ 2012 All-Ireland side.

Geraldines were the next Louth team to succeed, adding to their county title in impressive fashion. They beat Dublin side, St Olaf’s, in the Leinster final, but in their attempt to become the first Louth side to contest on the biggest day of all, went down to the Monaghan champions and eventual All-Ireland champions, Truagh Gaels.

Sean O’Mahony’s greatest period in their history came in the middle of the last decade. The Quay men won the county intermediate and senior titles within a few years of each other, contested another senior final, and when they played provincial football at two levels, did more than hold their own.

It all began with a win over St Fechin’s in 2014 Louth intermediate final at Clan na Gael Park. That provided them with a ticket to a first-ever provincial series, and here they carried their best form with them.

Impressive wins in the preliminaries gave them a place in the final against Meath side, Ballinlough. Playing the trick that had stood them in good stead in the local championship, directing as much as they could in the direction of skyscraper full-forward, Conor Crawley, they pieced together an easy 0-14 to 1-4 win.

It was then on to Breffni Park for the All-Ireland semi-final with St Coman’s of Roscommon. It ended with a point between, the Connacht champions scraping home. But how different might it have been had O’Mahony’s landed a late free? This was the closest any Louth team got to qualifying for the final.

It wouldn’t end at that for O’Mahony’s. Back in senior football the following year and, as always, taking inspiration from their county team regular, John O’Brien, they continued to employ the tactic that won them many games.

The best of defences found it difficult to counter, and though Crawley wouldn’t have been that often among the scorers, his height and distribution were vital.

O’Mahony’s made the senior final for the first time, and were unlucky that it was the team that had won most titles since the beginning of this century who faced them. St Patrick’s brought up win No 7, but O’Mahony’s came away from Drogheda with a lot of credit.

Older and wiser, they made the final again the following year and this time didn’t let the chance slip by. St Mary’s led for a good part of the journey, but when it was most needed they came up with a goal. Conor Crawley wasn’t the creator of this one, but the scorer.

If the celebration of having the Joe Ward down the Quay for the first time was hectic – and it was – O’Mahony’s were back in good nick for a second provincial club voyage, and like the first one, this had more wins than defeats.

Their semi-final with Rhode was a cracker. The Offaly side got the verdict, but only after they had put aside a brave O’Mahony’s challenge.

The Quaymen may have slipped down the pecking order since then; but they have their memories of a brilliant few years, when they conquered their province as well as their county.

Mattock Rangers did the same a few short years later, all of their successes coming in the intermediate grade. Their Louth win was followed by a trouble-free run to the provincial final and here, faced by 2019 Kilkenny’s senior championship winners, Mullinavat, who won by 1-14 to 0-12.

Crossmaglen Rangers’ pitch was the setting for their All-Ireland semi-final with Magheracloone Mitchel’s, but just like Geraldines six years earlier, Mattock hadn’t got the best of luck at the venue.

The Collon club has the distinction of being the only one in Louth to play in a provincial final in two grades.