MICK LEECH SAVES HIS SIDE WITH STUNNING LATE WINNING GOAL
LOUTH FANS WERE HEADING HOME HAVING PRESUMED CAVAN HAD BEATEN THEM IN NFLCLASH December 1970
LOUTH literally snatched their first two points in the National Football League at Ardee on Sunday. They stole the game from a better Cavan team in a final, desperate dash to goal as time was up and a disappointed crowd of several thousand were departing from the grounds convinced the home side were faced with certain relegation to a lower division of the League
Satisfied with their two-point lead, the Cavan players fumbled about with the ball an the dying seconds of the match, wasting valuable Louth time when the ball was out of play and annoying All-Ireland final referee, Paul Kelly of Dublin, to such an extent that he allowed play to continue two minutes beyond the hour—two minutes that were to prove disastrous for the Breffni men and miraculous for Louth. move by Paul Judge and Harry McCarthy, heralded uproar on the sidelines.
Downhearted “Wee” County officials and supporters flung coats, hats, pipes and what have you, into the air and danced with joy at the glint of hope for the senior team’s chances in the final stages of the league campaign.
Cavan said they were robbed. An enraged Cavan mob chased the referee from the pitch and besieged his dressing room, adjoining the press box. Thev cursed and swore threatened death and damnation and one particular gent looked in a complete trance as he bowed up and down in what looked like a forlorn gesture to ask ancient spirits to come to the rescue of the defeated men from the Land of Breffni. It was half an hour before Louth officials managed to calm the crowd and persuade them to accept the result like sportsmen and leave the grounds.
The Cnvan men were the better built, and outreached the smaller Louth opponents on many occasions but the speed and craftiness of Benny Gaughran and Seamus Kirk at centrefield more than made up for this factor.
Louth were a beaten team ten minutes from the finish after Cavan had snatched three quick points in succession and smelt victory in the wind. Desperate Louth officials rushed reserves. Paul Judge and Eugene Sheehan on in place of Liam Leech and Martin McCarthy who were tiring fast. The fresh blood in the forward line did the trick and Paul Judge made the move that saved Louth and shattered a bewildered Cavan fifteen.
The scorer of that dramatic goal, Mick Leech, played his heart out throughout the hour.
Jim Mulroy (PICTURED) , Danny Nugent, who was captain, Gerry Sheridan. Muckle McKeown and Davy Byrne were stars for Louth.