Louth U21 final - Mark Byrne strike helps dogged Roche Emmets to victory

Louth Under 21 Championship final

Roche Emmets: 1-6

Naomh Mairtin: 0-4

Sub-zero temperatures mattered little for Roche Emmets in their quest for silverware in Darver last Saturday night. The Emmets bridged a 28-year gap by defeating Naomh Mairtin to claim the U21 championship.

Like the weather, Roche players were ice cool in possession and as a result their emotions were in check at all times, bar say the final whistle and when full forward Mark Byrne found the net shortly after half time.

Despite Monasterboice’s Lazarus-like route to the final -coming back from the brink in both quarter-final and semi-finals - there was always a feeling that the more organised and hungrier Emmets would not be denied on the night. And so it came to pass.With a trio of county panelists making up your half-back line on an underage side, there was that constant platform of control. Also, the line acted as a fulcrum of manager Caoimhín Reilly’s tactical input. 

Peter Lynch was the manager on the field at centre back, Gerard Browne was the link to get up the samurai blue field, while James McDonnell at right half dipped into between the two defensive lines to snuff out anything the Mairtin’s came to offer. With that term of engagement sorted, Seán Dawe had the task of putting the shackles on two-time Joe Ward winner Séan Healy. Despite Healy’s best efforts, Dawe put in a man-of-the-match performance on the forty.

In a final where all the big moments went the way of the Faughart based outfit, Dawe’s opening score of the game was one of them. Remarkable to think he was dropped in the previous rounds. The Roche midfield duo of Glen Stewart and James McArdle were getting on top in the middle and so Ben Callanan went onto the square.

It was Roche’s ability to tackle at a high intensity, alongside utilising their mass of white bodies in front of Oisín Nash at all times, that showed their relentless work rate. After 12 minutes of probing, Dawe fired over a tremendous score when many others were too shy to even try. Mark Byrne quickly doubled Emmets' lead after DD Reilly was hauled down.

The lead was vital, but it was also a hammer blow to the Mairtin’s too. Dara McDonnell started very lively, but his forwards could not find the range and as the game went on, their desperation grew. Finally, Ben Callanan walloped over a fine score. Too little, too late. Wayward shooting into the scoreboard end, the Mairtin’s best period was soon behind them. Halftime came and went with Roche much the happier of the two sides. 

Happy to sit tight in the first period, the Rathduff outfit scored twice from only three efforts. That was sure to be addressed at halftime and it was. Monasterboice introduced Darragh Dorian and hoped he could produce another magical turnaround. The gambit would not pay off. Instead, another of this year's Louth minors excelled in the second period, DD Reilly. The youngster had a hand in four of five scores his teammates scored after the break.

Rapid across the ground, Reilly showed the difference in direction of Roche’s play upon the resumption. Top scorer on the night Shane Byrne profited the most. He whipped over the first point of the half, before clinching the game with the next score.

^{ABOVE: Glen Stewart, Roche Emmets Captain, receiving the Louth Under 21 Championship McGeough Cup from Peter Fitzpatrick Chairman of Louth GAA (Photo: Arthur Kinahan)}

A long kick out over the top looked to be read and dealt with by Naomh Mairtin corner back Tadhg O’Brien. Failing to go down on the ball, Seán Dawe went through O’Brien and kicked the ball onto Reilly. Driving at Joe Gordon’s net, Reilly had the vision to slip it to Byrne to the right of the goal. A dummy to his right and a low left-footed finish under Gordon to the net had Roche already dreaming, as they were now 1-3 to 0-1 ahead.

Fintan Watters powered over the next score thanks to DD again. A former Louth minor, Watters hadn’t played adult football all season. The full forward could have a big part to play in the future.

Their confidence might’ve been sky high, but Roche were still wasteful. Byrne missed a free and a superb goal chance along with a score-able DD free. It was down to Tom Gray to respond for Naomh Mairtin and the first team player supplied two frees in a tepid show of resistance.

Oisín Nash showed his outfield prowess when taking an awkward ball under the crossbar. The two Grants in the full back line, along with Seán Connolly’s marking job on Oisín Gray, assured there would be no surprise ending.

Daire Reilly clipped over a free he won for himself, and his cousin DD landed another. Joe Gordon came out the field to point a 45’, but Roche captain Glen Stewart was already preparing his match winning speech. 

ROCHE EMMETS: Oisín Nash; Callum Grant, Seán Connolly, Aidan Grant; James McDonnell, Peter Lynch, Gerard Browne; Glen Stewart, James McArdle; Fionn Connolly, Seán Dawe (0-1), DD Reilly (0-1 free), Daire Reilly (0-1 free), Fintan Watters (0-1), Mark Bryne (1-2, 0-1 free). SUBS: Ryan Rice Martin for McArdle (27), Mikey McCourt for Watters (49), Finn Conlon for F Connolly (63).

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Joe Gordon (0-1 45’); Tadhg O’Brien, Eoin Cooney, Daniel Harmon; Jamie Winters, Seán Healy, Finbar Johnson; Ben Callanan (0-1), Jack Lynch; Craig Callanan, Tom Gray (0-2 frees), Sam Winters; Dara McDonnell; Oisín Gray, Ryan Boylan. SUBS: Jake Neilon for Johnson (HT), Darragh Dorian for Boylan (HT), Steve Morgan for S Winters (36), Paul Murphy for J Winters (47), Cathal Dorian for C Callanan (52).

REF: Gerard Corrigan (Mattock Rangers)