Louth GAA club | Callaghan: It's just another 60 minutes of football

Naomh Máirtín captain, Eoghan Callaghan, was grounded when speaking ahead of the Anchor Tours Louth Senior Football Championship final, where they will play Newtown Blues at the GAA Integral Grounds, this Sunday.

He said, “It'll be a really tough game. There is a big rivalry between the two teams, but a rivalry with a lot of respect between the two clubs and teams. It's going to be a massive test for us, and it should be a good game for the neutral.

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“We know how big a test and uphill task it is, but hopefully we can manage to get over the line and put in a decent performance.”

For years now, the Máirtíns, the Blues, and Ardee St Mary’s have been the three cornerstones of Louth senior football. And as Callaghan explains, both sides have earned their shot at another county crown.

“Obviously, we were in the same group and we were with the Joes as well, who had a really strong league. I'd say it was the toughest group in the competition. So, we both managed to get out of that, obviously.

“And then, the Blues beat the team that just won three in a row. So, that says it all about what the Blues are bringing this year.

“Then we had two really difficult games against the Pats and then a sticky enough one the other night as well against the Gaels.

“Both teams had difficult games in the run-up to the final. You'd arguably say the Blues had a much tougher task coming over against Ardee.

“So that was a big one for them. Difficult run, but the two teams are glad to be here. That's the main thing I'd say for the two teams.”

Tough group

Getting out of that tough group wasn’t easy, but the Jocks managed it, remaining unbeaten.

“It's always the dangerous one when you're the first team out. People say it's a good thing, but you can also look at it as a bad thing. If you lose the first game, you're under serious pressure.

“A lot of the clubs that actually went out this year lost the first game, and they were drawn out in the first game. It took a bit of pressure off us, I suppose. You kind of get points on the board, you get momentum going.

“But it is always a tricky one to get over because you're coming in flat a little bit, particularly with the long lay-off from the league. But we were delighted to get over the line, and then it was building on it game by game.”

Beating the Blues

When both sides met earlier in the campaign, it went down to the wire. Callaghan admits his side weren’t at their best that day but showed plenty of character.

“Yeah, I suppose good character. We would have liked it if that wasn't the case, and we had played a bit better because it was a poor performance, probably overall.

“The reality is it was kind of a smash-and-grab kind of win. You could argue that the best team lost on the day. It was good that we managed to get the two points and top the group. It was probably our worst performance all year.

“You have them in championships sometimes, but as I said in the last piece there, it's a matter of trying to improve on it every game. You kind of take the learnings, and we did that from the Blues game.”

Road to the final

Callaghan’s side showed that learning curve in the quarter-final and semi-final stages — battling through a replay against the Pats before asserting dominance over the Gaels.

“Learning from it again a little bit. Again, in the first game, poor enough performance. There were a lot of areas we would have liked to tidy up and clean up.

“But we showed good character to come back after the replay because there was a lot of noise that we were disappointed we nearly threw it away in the first game. We didn't think of that.

“We knew how difficult the Pats were going to be and the challenge they were going to bring us. We were just happy in the replay that we had a bit more of a cleaner performance and a more solid performance to get over the line.”

And Callaghan insists the semi-final against Dundalk Gaels was far from a stroll.

“Looking back on it, when you look at the videos of it and go into it, we forfeited a lot of chances. I think Darren Morgan made a brilliant save at a vital time. You have to take them into account as well.

“It was tighter than a lot of people are making out, and sticky enough and look, they were a difficult team to play against. They're well set up defensively, and it was difficult to play against, but again, we managed to find a way.

The Gaels were intermediate champions last year. They're definitely an up-and-coming team, so they'll be a force if they stick together over the next couple of years in senior.”

Injury

For Callaghan personally, this campaign has felt like a reward after months of injury and frustration.

“It was a disappointing six months of the year for me. I think my last game before the championship was in April or something like that, so that was a long injury lay-off.

“But I think that in a weird way, maybe it was good because you come back and you're mad for action, you're really enjoying your football, and you're just happy to be playing.

“So yeah, whatever the team needs, you're trying to help out in whatever way you can, and you just tip away.”

Missing players

Callaghan spent last year’s final watching from Australia which was a difficult experience.

“It's difficult, obviously. You're looking back at the lads at home, and you're seeing everything, and you're hearing the stories and whatnot.

“So, it's difficult, but you're just wishing everyone well. And look, there's a lot of lads in the same position now as we were in 2023.

“The likes of John Clutterbuck, Conor Morgan, and Connor Whelan. You know, these lads are missing out. They're in Australia now. So, I'm sure they're wishing us well. We'd love to have them back if they were here, but it's just the way it is.

Youth

Even with departures and absences, Naomh Máirtín continue to promote from within.

“Yeah, there's been a lot of lads that have stepped up, and there's a lot of work going on at underage in fairness, the coaches and the system that they have here.

“In the last number of years, we've probably been lucky enough to bring and blood one or two players each year, and you can see the Dara McDonnells, the Darragh Dorians. 

“Cian Sands even; he's a bit older than the two boys, but he came in and he just slotted straight in. Stuff like that really helps you, and when you're missing lads that are away, having able and ready replacements for that is definitely beneficial for you.”

Focus

For the captain, the build-up to the final is all about focus and preparation.

“You just try to chill out and relax. We're lucky enough that we've experienced a good few of them now, so we're probably well used to the build-up and the preparation.

“But we're probably hoping for a different outcome than we've had in previous and add another one. Nothing's different at the end of the day. It's an occasion for everyone else, but for the players, it's just another 60 minutes of football.”