Blues gunning for hat-trick
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THE current Newtown Blues minor team are widely regarded as being one of the best the county has produced, but can they produce their best form one last time and complete a famous hat-trick of MFC triumphs?
That’s the $64,000 question as the boys from Newfoundwell prepare to defend their title against last year’s beaten finalists Naomh Mairtin at the Gaelic Grounds next Sunday (2.00pm).
It’s a question that coach Colm Nally has been asking of his players too after a couple of mediocre performances this year, but the former Louth goalkeeper feels they have produced the right response and could be hitting top gear at just the right time.
The Blues tasted a rare defeat against Cooley Kickhams in the group stage of the championship and nearly bowed out to St Mochta’s/Kilkerley in the last eight. However, they racked up an impressive tally of 4-18 when defeating the combination outfit in the quarter-final replay, and the Drogheda side had eight points to spare over a highly regarded St Mary’s in last Wednesday night’s semi.
‘Out of the three years I’ve been with the minors, this has probably been the most difficult in terms of cajoling performances out of the team,’ Nally conceded.
‘You have to remember, the loss to Cooley was this group’s first-ever loss in the Under-14, Under-16 and Minor championships. They’ve won all the championships and leagues and competed in the Feile and a Leinster final.
‘When we had those two warnings we wondered whether they had lost a bit of the hunger, but they have come back well since then and I think they are fully on track.’
Memories of last autumn’s dramatic two-match saga, with the replay going to extra time and producing 35 scores, are still fresh in the mind and Nally is anticipating another exciting decider.
‘There’s a trophy at stake and it’s the occasion too,’ enthused Nally, ‘We’ll be back in front of the Senior final which is its proper place.
‘We know each other inside out at this stage. The weather dictated what happened in the two games last year. It was wet and windy the first time and it was tight, but the following day the conditions were decent and there were lots of scores.
‘It’s two teams who are going to play football and so it should be a good game.’
As with any minor team, the Blues will have a fresh look compared to last year, although they will still look to the likes of Ross Nally, Declan McNamara and Jamie Kelly for the bulk of the scoring.
‘There will be about seven changes from last year’s starting team, with a few lads who came off the bench starting this time,’ Colm added.
‘Alan Connor has come on lovely and then there’s Luke Cormican who has made a big step up along with Rhys Garry.’
It could be an emotional occasion on Sunday, whatever the result, as Colm has confirmed he intends to stand down afterwards, coinciding with his son Ross’s last game with the minors.
‘I’m 10 years with these lads and Ross has been there for the whole journey, and I think it’s time for other people to come in and freshen things up,’ he concluded.