Inside Track: This could be a final to savour

Twelve teams lined up, each of them chomping at the bit. In front of them was a race for the biggest prize in Louth Gaelic football.

There’d be at least 19 games in the league and knock-out sections, with the last team standing winning the senior championship and the Joe Ward Cup that goes with it. Tension-filled games, surprises and stand-out performances could be expected.

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True to form, this year’s renewal had all of those ingredients. Now, with just one game remaining, Naomh Mairtín and Newtown Blues are the only teams with the chance of having their name inscribed on the most prestigious trophy in Louth sport.

No St Mary’s? No St Mochta’s? The failure of both to make the last two standing has been the biggest surprises.

Mary’s went into the competition as the strongest favourites the competition has known since the 1960s’ version of Newtown Blues, and after that, Cooley Kickhams, went to post.

The Ardee side had won the three previous runnings, and having then won a place in the Leinster final as a follow-up to the latest of their successes, were seen by many as a shoo-in.

And while Mary’s were dominating in the championship, Mochta’s lifted the Cardinal O’Donnell Cup twice, this year and in 2023. What could stop either of them winning, or at least make it to the final?

But here we are, less than a week before the decider, with both, like nine other starters, in the role of onlookers.

All that said, the two that have made it wouldn’t have been among the outsiders before the tapes went up. Blues are renowned for winning more games than they lose when it comes to the championship, while no team has been involved in the latter stages of the competition over the past decade as often as the Monasterboice representatives.

Mairtíns have made the last four each year since 2017, and in that time have played in five finals. It could be said two title wins takes a little gloss off the record, but what teams other than Blues (three-time winners) and Mary’s (the same) wouldn’t settle for that.

No different than any other teams that has faced Mairtíns this year, Blues will have Sam Mulroy in their thoughts as they plan to regain the title they last won in 2019.

The Louth captain has carried all that he displayed in the county jersey this year into club football. Maybe even more. He’s always in focus for the opposition, not to mention those looking on, and in none of the games has he failed to deliver.

Even when Mairtín’s came under strong pressure from Joe’s in the league section, Mulroy showed his worth, easing tensions with crucial scores.

It was the same in the two quarter-final matches against St Patrick’s, and again in last Monday night’s demolition of Dundalk Gaels at the semi-final stage.

But aside from his contribution to the scoreboard, Mulroy is the perfect orchestrator, leading an attacking unit that’s totally in unison. It maybe wasn’t the best match in which to make a judgement, but in the semi-final, Mairtíns were particularly slick up front.

Blues would be foolish in thinking they’ve just one problem to face. Mairtíns are a well-balanced side, with players such as Thomas Sullivan, Wayne Campbell, Val Leddy and Sean and Conor Healy lacking nothing in big match experience.

Dara McDonnell, Darragh Dorian, Tom Gray and the likes are tomorrow’s men, but well fit for today’s game.

All of the above might suggest a cake-walk for Mairtíns; that certainly won’t be the case. Blues are not short on tried and trusted performers, scorers and potential match-winners. And you can throw in tradition as well.

Their quarter-final win over St Mary’s was the result of the competition. The odds weighed heavily against them that day at the venue for Sunday’s game, and at times it seemed, Mary’s, with Tommy Durnin and the up-and-coming Seán Callaghan at midfield, had only to put the boot down for the anticipated win.

The champions found their path blocked, however. After gaining the initiative, Blues pulled away in the final quarter, winning comfortably by six points.

Andy McDonnell didn’t see out that game, but was back with a vengeance for the semi-final with Dreanots, chipping in with 0-6, a couple of 2-pointers included.

McDonnell has two Louth colleagues alongside him in attack, Conor Brannigan and Ciarán Downey, the latter, unlucky not to have received an All-Star nomination. Downey plays a role similar to Sam Mulroy’s, a distributor who takes more of his scoring chances than he misses.

This trio, along with county under-20 star, Conor MacCríosta, and Jamie Kelly, constitute a formidable attacking force, which Mairtín will be hard-pressed to keep from getting into scoring range.

Other county players, Emmet Carolan and Daire Nally, add strength to the defence, and around the middle, Fergal O’Donohoe and Brian Kermode won’t be giving much away.

It should be a fascinating contest, one that has the potential to be in the best county final in years. It’s the first to be played under the new rules, which, if they haven’t eliminated momentum-stopping crossfield passing, have prevented the game from dying on its feet.

Should the result come down to how many Mulroy scores, Mairtíns might just have enough to spare at the finish.