Inside Track: A lot happened over the years on September date

September 22nd: It might not resonate with Louth GAA people, but there’s a year that will, 1957. Pitch the two together and you have the exact date on which the county had its greatest-ever win.

We’ll come back to the All-Ireland final of 68 years ago a little later. In the meantime, let’s go with September 22nd.

OPPOSITION TO THE BBC

It’s been in the news this past week, ITN news in particular. Two years before Louth won the All-Ireland, BBC first faced a challenger. A new television station was born.

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ITN, later named ITV, wouldn’t have the financial backing of the British Government; revenue would be raised from advertising. It had regional stations, among them the one best known – and viewed – in this part of the country, Ulster Television.

A belated happy birthday to UTV, which, in its sports coverage, often looks beyond the border. Kate O’Connor got deserved recognition on last Monday’s 6 o’clock News.

WOODGATE’S WOEFUL MADRID DEBUT

If Jonathon Woodgate keeps a diary, which you have to think would be unusual for a footballer who played with one of soccer’s best known clubs, September 22nd wouldn’t be one he’d be underlining.

Real Madrid paid Newcastle United £13.4m for the centre-back. Nothing compared to what’s changing hands nowadays for players leaving or arriving at English League clubs, but a mighty wedge 21 years ago.

It would be over a year before the English International made his La Liga debut. Whether or not it had been spotted by the medical people before he signed on the dotted line, he had a recurring thigh injury, which he brought with him to Spain, and it was due to this that his first outing with his new club was delayed.

However, he was ready to leave the traps when Real faced Athletic Bilbao, the game taking place on the date mentioned above. Before reaching the first bend, however, he was in trouble, getting a warning for an over-robust tackle.

He then headed into his own net, and just before the break was booked. If all of that was not enough, midway through the second half, he went in with another bone-cruncher, and this was shown red.

It’s not recorded what two of his team-mates thought of Woodgate that day – David Beckham and Christan Ronaldo could hardly have been impressed.

It could only get better for him after that, and it did to a degree. He scored on his European debut, Real beating Rosenborg, but by the time he left Madrid, he had been voted the worst signing of the 21st century by readers of a Spanish website.

That was after just six years into the 2000s, so it’s possible he’s since been knocked off the top of that leaderboard. He returned to the English League, signing for his hometown club, Middlesboro’, and is now in management.

LOUTH’S 1957 LEINSTER WIN WAS A STEPPING-STONE TO SOMETHING BIGGER

Such were the celebrations that followed Louth’s Leinster senior championship this year, mention being given over and over again to it being the first time the title had come this way in almost seven decades, you’d be forgiven for thinking nothing else happened in the remainder of the 1957 season.

Unlike now, the four provincial champions went into the All-Ireland semi-finals. Louth faced Tyrone, and Cork were out against the team that had beaten them in the previous year’s final, Jack Mangan’s Galway.

Cork reversing that result was a surprise, but Louth were more than quietly fancied to beat Tyrone, who were appearing at this stage for only the second time. The game went to form, Louth making up the ground they had lost early on to lead by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

The second half of an uninspiring game was one-sided. Tyrone could manage only two further points, their forwards getting little from Tom Conlon and his mates in a solid Louth defence. The final score said it all, 0-13 to 0-7.

Cork had the call in the opening half of the final, a Tom Furlong goal leaving them ahead by 1-4 to 0-5 at the change-over. It was nip and tuck in the second half after early points brought Louth level.

Cork edged in front by a point inside the final quarter, but with five minutes remaining, Louth got the match-deciding score.

A Kevin Beahan sideline-kick landed in the square, and Sean Cunningham was first to react, the corner-forward’s fisted effort landing in the net.

A first All-Ireland for Louth in 45 years, an achievement that’s been recalled in song and poem. The date on which it all happened is written large in the annals.