Jocks will bounce back from their final Blues
IN years to come very little will be remembered about the circumstances of Newtown Blues’ smash and grab victory at the Gaelic Grounds - just that they claimed senior title number 22 at the expense of first-time finalists Naomh Mairtin.
The fact that the challengers were in control of proceedings for the large majority of the contest will soon disappear into the annals of time.
Although the Monasterboice men led by 1-8 to 0-5 towards the end of the third quarter and looked a certainty for their maiden SFC title, this heart-breaking defeat will not make it onto the engravers record at the base of the Joe Ward trophy. This seasons caption on the base of the cup will simply read 2018 - Newtown Blues.
I was in travelling back from Kerry on Sunday afternoon so unfortunately I didn’t make this year’s showpiece but I tuned in for every detail of Colm Corrigan’s splendid radio coverage on LMFM.
The spin back from Tralee is usually a long one but I remember very little of yesterday afternoon’s journey thanks to the Annagassan native’s exciting commentary.
Down through the years I’ve always had a great fondness for the style of play adopted by the Newtown Blues club. Win, lose or draw, they go about playing their football in the right way.
I’ve lots of friends in the Newfoundwell club but I’ve no problem admitting that it was Naomh Mairtin who I was rooting for on Sunday.
Ever since they arrived into the top grade during the late ‘80s, the Jocks have been a strong senior club. I was present in Monasterboice on the night they last tasted adult championship success when winning Intermediate in 1988. Picture: Paul Connor
The late Sammy Conlon (a grandfather of Sunday’s referee Jonathan) brought a group of us to Donegan’s after collecting us from the airport following a Louth/London game in Ruislip. Those wild celebrations of thirty years ago I’m sure were in marked contrast to last night’s air of doom and gloom.
Blues captain Colm Judge spoke almost with a hint of guilt in the post-match interview as did manager Ronan Philips who admitted they simply had no answer to the opposition’s greater hunger and intensity.
Naomh Mairtin manager Jim Farrell I’m sure planned for every eventuality and succeeded in his plan of unsettling the champions. They deservedly put themselves in a match-winning position entering the final quarter but maybe they didn’t expect to be so far in front and coasting.
Some individual mistakes then provided Blues with a small chink of light and the holders didn’t need to be asked twice. To their credit they seized the opportunity with Conor Branigan proving to be the hero.
The coming winter nights will be tough for all concerned in Moansterboice. The players, their families, club officials and supporters will all be devastated this week but the darkness and disappointment will eventually subside.
This Naomh Mairtin club have dealt with much bigger issues and tragedies in recent years and they will come back stronger. The fruits of the trojan work done at juvenile level still remains. I expect to see the Jocks back in another final very soon.
Well done also to St Marys Ardee on their second consecutive minor title and again some marvellous underage work should soon come to fruition at adult level. AS mentioned above, I was in Tralee at the weekend as part of a 90-strong group from Glen Emmets who travelled to the Kingdom for matches with the local Kerin O Rahillys club.
Although the famous Tralee club were still smarting from the previous weekends Kerry SFC semi-final defeat to holders Dr Crokes, they welcomed us with open arms and provided us with warm hospitality.
We enjoyed their extensive facilities and played matches against local opposition, winning all our three games.
Kerin O Rahillys clubman and current Kerry midfielder David Moran provided some excellent coaching tips to the boys and former Kingdom legend Darragh O Se joined us in the Brandon Hotel for our end of season awards banquet. Thanks to former Clan na Gael clubman and current Kerin O Rahillys chairman Frank O Connor for arranging the trip which will be reciprocated in 2019.
The natural talent and ability on display from all of our twenty-five U8s was every bit as good, if not even better than the Kerry lads. A fact acknowledged by the opposition mentors. Louth have always produced good footballers - it’s in our DNA.
The problem however is we don’t have a structured plan or coaching pathway to nurture that talent through those early teenage years up to minor level. Some clubs are making great strides individually but until there is a clear plan or pathway across the entire county at both club and schools level, Louth will continue to struggle.