Relieved Blues eyeing tricky Leinster opener
AFTER few days of celebration, Newtown Blues will begin preparations for their Leinster mission following a smash-and-grab win over Naomh Mairtin.
There was more relief in the air than ecstasy as the hot favourites broke the Jock’s hearts with a stirring comeback at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.
Ronan Phillips’ men failed to score from play in the first-half and trailed by six points at the interval as Naomh Mairtin closed in on a first ever senior title in their first final appearance.
The Blues were still chasing a five-point deficit with eight minutes left on the clock, but they somehow pulled it out of the fire to retain their title for the first time since 2001.
For the Jocks it was a case of what might have been, but they will take solace and inspiration from Sean O’Mahony’s defeat to St Patrick’s in their first final in 2015, prior to returning to the big stage a year later to claim their first ever senior crown.
The Blues will also be keen to follow in O’Mahony’s footsteps in the near future as they kick off their Leinster challenge with a home clash against Carlow champions Eire Og on November 11th.
O’Mahony’s reached the provincial semi-finals in 2016 before eventually succumbing to Rhode and there’s a place in the last four up for grabs for the Blues and Eire Og as they both received a bye to the quarter-final stage.
They are also on the more favourable side of the draw with the winners of the Wicklow final replay between Rathnew and St Pat’s due to face Rhode, with the winners of that clash taking on Longford kingpins St Columbas Mullinalaghta for the right to face the Blues or Eire Og.
The Carlow champions will be no pushover, however, with a host of Turlough O’Brien’s inform county side in their ranks, including Darragh O’Brien and Sean Gannon.
On the plus side the Carlow champs will be idle for two extra weeks having defeated Palatine in the final on October 7th.
Louth’s Leinster campaign kicks off this weekend with both St Mochta’s and Dundalk Young Irelands in action in the intermediate and junior grades respectively.
Mochta’s will host Meath champions Longwood in an intriguing repeat of their 2009 Leinster Junior clash in Louth Village, which Mickey Burke’s Longwood side edged.
New rules mean the Mochta’s have to take to the road to host Saturday’s clash which will be staged in Dunleer with the winners set to host Laois champions Courtwood two weeks later.
Dundalk Young Irelands have a longer road trip to contend with as they head for Kinnegad to take on Westmeath champions Kilbeggan Shamrocks.
The winners of that clash will also be at home to Laois opposition on November 10th in the shape of Annanough.
Both games throw-in at 1.30pm on Saturday.