Inside Track: Hunterstown advance but Máirtíns come unstuck

Louth teams had mixed luck in Leinster club championship matches on a weekend when football became highly irrelevant.

Soon after Hunterstown Rovers advanced in the intermediate, and before Naomh Máirtín made their bow in the senior, that awful car crash just outside Dundalk took place, taking the lives of five young people.

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The entire sporting fraternity will, we’re sure, join with Inside Track in extending sympathy to the grieving families.

Four Louth teams have won the intermediate title, first competed for in 2023. If maintaining the form they’ve shown in the competition so far, Hunterstown must have a great chance of bringing the number to five.

However, for Máirtíns – and the county – the wait for a senior title goes on. Five Louth teams have made an appearance in finals, but not even that is available to this year’s champions.

In a rollicking game in which the intensity could almost be tasted, Máirtíns were turned over by a well-drilled and most determined Portarlington side.

The game, played in Drogheda, ended with three points separating the sides, a good indication of how superior Portarlington were.

They had the game’s outstanding player in Darragh Galvin, and a midfielder, Seán Byrne, who dominated in a midfield area where Máirtíns were expected to control, just as they had done so often in the local championship.

How often has it happened where Mairtíns have gone through a quarter of a game without a score?

That’s how it was this time, nothing being added to their tally after they had opened promisingly, leading by a point with a 13th-minute Sam Mulroy score. There was nearly a repeat in the last quarter.

Portarlington, first round winners over Carlow champions, Old Leighlin, claimed six points in succession as their opponents struggled to rediscover the scoring touch, and half-time led by 0-9 to 0-4.

There must have been some stern words in the Máirtíns’ dressingroom at the break, because within minutes of the restart, Portarlington’s lead was trimmed to three points.

When it seemed it was going to be reduced even further, Sam Mulroy tempted his scoring prowess to the extreme.

The ball was there to be tapped over the bar, but the Louth captain instead went for a goal and missed. A 45 followed, but this being a game in which Mulroy didn’t reach All-Star form, nothing came of it.

This attempt at audacity, however, was temporarily forgotten when Tom Gray, taking a pass from Val Leddy, nailed a well-worked goal to bring the sides level, a few minutes later.

Monasterboice supporters, for most part playing second fiddle to the big travelling party, at last found their voices. But they soon fell silent again.

Portarlington were quick to reply with two points, and although Máirtins pulled one back, Darragh Galvin, in particular, saw to it there’d be no way back for the home team.

The only Máirtín score of the last quarter didn’t come until time added on.

Portarlington looked good, but while they contributed to a most entertaining game, Máirtín fell short of what they produced in the county final. It should be a belter of a semi-final when the Laois team play Athy on Saturday week.

Young Irelands, Mattock Rangers, Sean O’Mahony’s and Dundalk Gaels have their name on the intermediate trophy.

There are tougher games ahead than the two they have already won, but Hunterstown Rovers are building in confidence, and that should improve their chances of emulating the others.

Runaway winners over Wicklow’s Hollywood in the opening round, Rovers faced bigger test against the Laois title-holders, Park Rathineska, at Stabannon on Saturday, but once again had the answer.

They play Westmeath champions Tubberclair in the semi-final on Sunday week, and again will have a home draw. Sallins (Kildare) and Offaly’s Clara meet in the other qualifier.