Expect to see Mary’s and Máirtíns turn in another county final thriller

It’s a quarter of a century since Haggardstown’s McGeough Park last housed a Louth senior final. The 1999 decider was between Stabannon Parnells and Kilkerley Emmets and by winning, Parnells lifted the Joe Ward Cup for the fourth time in the decade.

Parnells were top dogs then. The balance of power, however, has changed many times since in the meantime. Newtown Blues took the first two titles in the new century, and after that St Patrick’s and Mattock Rangers each had a rewarding innings, Pat’s coming out on top seven times, and Mattock, after a first-ever win in 2002, bringing their total to four.

In more recent times, Blues – they’re never very far away, are they? – have had a three-in-a-row, and Naomh Máirtín a double, taking the honours for the first time, in 2020. St Mary’s are the most recent dual winners, their wins coming after a number of falls at the final fence.

It’s Mary’s and Máirtíns who are going head-to-head on Sunday, and there’s no real surprise in that. They’ve been top of the list since the competition left the starting-gate, and the only way they could have avoided meeting each other on the county’s biggest day, was had the draw brought them together in the knock-outs.

Mary’s sailed through their semi-final clash with the Blues, completely dominating the second half. On the other hand, Mairtíns got a thorough examination from St Mochta’s, the game going to extra-time before the blue-jerseyed brigade made it over the line with just a point to spare.

This is a repeat of last year, and it has Mary’s going for the hat-trick, and Máirtíns playing in their sixth final in seven years. The sides met in St Brigid’s Park last October, and before that in the 2020 ‘Covid Final’, which was played in Darver before a handful of onlookers, made up of subs, officials, coaching staffs, hacks and a few interlopers who had come through the hedge. All other interested parties watched on TV.

The surroundings were surreal, but Máirtin’s weren’t complaining. It was their first win, and while in normal circumstances victory would have been celebrated in grand style up around Monasterboice, Tinure and the other places from where they draw their players and supporters, it was still only teetotallers who went home without having had their whistle wetted.

Last year’s final had football of the highest order, Mary’s doing enough to snake home. Neutrals wouldn’t have minded being asked to come back another day, as they had been the previous year before Mary’s got the decision over Blues.

Expect to see another nail-biter on Sunday. Mary’s have already won the league, a competition in which, in the early part, Mairtíns had to compete without their talisman.

Sam Mulroy goes into this match having put behind him an outstanding campaign in the Louth jersey. He filled the bag with crucial scores for play – remember the goal he scored from about sixty yards in the league tie with Fermanagh? – and, as always, converted an awful lot more placed-kicks than he missed, many of his winners coming from a distance.

Anyone who has questioned Mulroy’s contribution in open play should have been there for Mairtíns semi-final defeat of Mochta’s. He was victim of a horrendous tackle on, and after that came in for a lot of attention. But throughout he was in the thick of things, orchestrating most of Máirtíns moves.

But if Mary’s have someone who needs watching, Máirtíns will have to be vigilant at the back. Ciarán Keenan, known to just about everyone in the Louth game as ‘Kiki’, fits the description of will-o’-the-wisp with perfection. He, too, starred with the county team in league and championship, turning in his best performance against Dublin in the Leinster final.

But good as the No. 11 was that day, he reserved his performance of the season in Mary’s semi-final defeat of Blues. There haven’t been many in recent years capable of relegating Colm Judge to second place in a head-to-head, but Keenan did it that day, and he embellished his outing with scores.

But don’t think for a minute this is going to shoot-out between Keenan and his county team colleague. Both sides are laced with talented and experienced players – without them, there’d be a different pairing lining out on Sunday.

And who will Seán McClean be presenting Louth sport’s most famous trophy to?

Never change horse at midstream is a saying that’s as old as the game itself. We’ll go along with that, sticking with Mary’s, who were tipped here to go the whole way at the beginning of the competition. But don’t be surprised if it’s another Inside Track opinion that carries no weight.