Inside Track: Blues break Mochta’s hearts with two late scores

Newtown Blues and St Mochta’s were back again in Drogheda’s Gaelic Grounds on Saturday for the second weekend in succession. Their first joust had ended in a draw.

That day, Declan Byrne, showing nerves of steel, opted to go for a two-pointer when many felt he should play safe and instead go for a single, and hope there’d be a later chance to grab an equaliser.

‘Deccy’ took a punt and got a reward, his score bringing the sides level. That set up Saturday’s re-match. A dramatic end the first day, but nothing to compare with what unfolded second time around.

The regulation 60 minutes had been played, but there was time to be added on. Mochta’s, outstanding in the second half after failing to take full value from a very strong wind before the break, were three points clear.

The blue-and-yellow flags flew high, and voices were at their loudest. This is going to be a breakthrough win, the Joe Ward Cup coming to Louth Village for the first time in the club’s 92-year history.

It wasn’t only partisans who thought so – neutrals, those who like to give a shout out to the underdog, were of the same opinion, getting ready to laud the new champions.

The clock, however, had still some ticking to do, and it was in the minutes remaining that Blues picked off a two-pointer, Jamie Kelly guiding the ball over the bar from out in the right.

Could Blues steal a draw, perhaps, to put the game into extra-time? It didn’t look likely as they played the ball across their half-forward line. One pass, a second and then a third. Then the ball comes to Ciarán Downey. This was make-your-mind up time.

The team captain was nearer to the 45m line than the arc, maybe even beyond it. He got himself a clearing and launched a mighty wind-assisted kick towards Daire O’Shea’s goals.

Even before the umpire reached for the orange flag, Downey knew he was on a winner, turning away in delight. Referee, Damien Connor, called time before Mochta’s could re-start the match.

Mochta’s players slumped to the ground, supporters, some of them in tears, couldn’t believe what had happened. They were stuck to their seats on the stand, sad, shocked and disbelieving.

Though it was the 24th title to come to their club, Blues celebrated like never before, a huge crowd congregating on the field, the players a target for hugs and back-slapping.

You’d have needed a heart of stone not to have felt for Mochta’s. They were inches from the finish line, having upped their game considerably after the break. Only on level terms at half-time, they were about to play into the teeth of strong wind.

But they faced the challenge full on. Ciarán Casey was moved to midfield, and that made a huge difference. And as busy as always, covering almost every blade of a well-groomed pitch, which showed no ill-effects from the heavy weekend rain, Ben Goss-Kieran caused Blues no end of trouble, especially when he went forward. Gerry Garland brought his tally for the game to three points

Blues had the better of the early second half skirmishes, but were wildly off the mark on a number of occasions. It was then that Mochta’s took charge.

The flow was constantly towards the road goals, and dominating play and picking off hard-earned scores, Mochta’s edged their way into a three-point lead.

There was still some defending to be done, and Declan Byrne was there to do it. That was when he wasn’t up knocking frees over the bar.

A huge Mochta’s effort looked like paying dividends, but then the house fell in.

This wasn’t the first time in the competition that Blues thumbed their noses at what looked an inevitable defeat. They had the appearance of losers – to St Mary’s – in the semi-final, four points behind when, as in Saturday’s game, the 60 minutes had been played.

A two-pointer followed by a goal did the trick, with Downey again in the thick of things. Mary’s wouldn’t have to be told how Mochta’s felt on Saturday – they had their own agony that day.

Wearing the N0 11 shirt in the drawn game, Declan Byrne emerged as one of the game’s outstanding players, and he was again in form in this game, defying his 37 years. But this time around it was the player donned in the Blues’ N0 11 who was the hero.

Ciarán Downey, in the running for an All-Star next weekend, was below form in the drawn match, leaving some to believe he may be having a reaction to the injury that had caused him to miss some of this year’s action.

On Saturday he was back to his best, especially in the opening half. Then, when there was someone needed to perform a game-saving act, he took on the responsibly.

His two-pointer might have over-shadowed Jamie Kelly’s a minute earlier, but there was still tremendous value attached to the tigerish half-back’s effort.

And to think that earlier this season Blues lost their senior league status. There was a major contributing factor, of course, teams having to field without county players such as Downey, Daire Nally, Emmet Carolan, Conor MacCríosta and Conor Brannigan, the latter, following up a fine drawn game display with an equally good outing on Saturday.

Nothing can console Mochta’s. They took a big beating from St Mary’s in their opening game in the league series, but after that turned it on, beating Hunterstwon Rovers, Dundalk Gaels and then St Joseph’s in the semi-final.

All of that was done without their injured All-Star, Craig Lennon – while team captain, Darren McMahon, clearly wasn’t able to do himself justice in either of the final’s two matches.

Whereas referee Stephen Johnston was a central figure in the drawn match, Damien Connor, in charge for the first time at this stage, got through his work in an efficient manner, winning praise for his performance at the presentation ceremony.