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terwards in an excited Louth dressing room.
Nor did Kildare’s predictions about taking 20,000 spectators to the game materalise for the estimated crowd was 15,000, with a total of 13,206 paying, with the remainder made up of children and pensioners.
The ‘gate’ receipts were £50,000 and the number that travelled from Kildare was estimated at 7,000.
In the game itself the first half left spectators asking what all the hype was about for it was a rather cagey affair with Kildare, playing against the wind, were kept in the game by Louth’s extravagance in front of goal, as they shot a total of nine wides, to Kildare’s three, giving the Lilywhites a half time lead of two points (0-6 to 0-4) which they hardly deserved if judged by the possession figures.
Kildare had stretched that lead to six points six minutes into the second half with Declan Kerrigan goal, but Louth didn’t panic and having abandoned their first half tactic of feeding full-forward Fintan Murphy with long balls, they introduced Nicholas Browne and started to run at the visitors defence.
With Stefan White allowed more freedom and possession with the change in Louth’s tactics, Louth started to get on top.
Points from Pat Butterly (three frees) cut the deficit to a goal (1-9 to 0-9) when, in the 55th minute the roar that greeted a magnificently struck goal from White to level the scores could be heard all in Newfoundwell.
With seven minutes remaining Louth went ahead for the first time with a magnificently struck Butterly free, but just as the crowd started to believe that it was Louth’s day, substitute Jarlath Gilroy stole in behind a rather deserted home defence to supply a clinical finish to the net.
Previously Louth heads might have dropped but inspired by Seamus O’Hanlon they won a free that White pointed to cut the deficit to the minimum and in the final minute there was uproar in the Louth ranks when referee, Paddy Collins failed to even award Cathal O’Hanlon a free when many felt he should have got a penalty.
From the kick-out, O’Hanlon got a great roar when he won possession, and sent a long searching delivery into the Kildare defence which was picked up by his brother, Cathal.
He ran at the defence, drew two defenders and with a beautiful timed pass released White who showed great composure in rejecting the chance for an equalising point, and instead blasted an unstoppable shot to the net.
There was bedlam in the ground, with Louth supporters pleading for the final whistle, which didn’t come until Kildare pointed a free to cut the deficit to a point.
Afterwards an ecstatic Frank Lynch felt that it was a measure of Louth’s worthy that they were able to come from six points down and playing against the wind to win the game.
Kildare manager, Mick O’Dwyer could hardly speak after the match sitting disconsolate on his own in the dressingroom.
When he did make his way to the Louth dressingroom he was fulsome in his praise for the hard work of the Louth players but said that losing the game was one of the biggest disappointments of his career.
The former Kerry boss even went as far as saying that Stefan White’s last minute goal brought back memories for him of Seamus Darby’s goal for Offaly in the 1982 All-Ireland final that denied Kerry five in a row.
It was one of the sweetest wins in the career of many of the Louth players, like Peter Fitzpatrick who said ‘I have never experienced anything like it in my 11 years playing’.
Seamus O’Hanlon, who vied with Stefan White, Colm McCarragher and Fitzpatrick for the man of the match award, said afterwards that he never felt as tired in his life after a match, but added ‘it was worthy it all’.
Louth captain, Stephen Melia believed that the deciding factor in the game was home advantage for Louth for he said ‘the Co. Board in resisting all the many attempts to change the venue did much to build the character in the side for we realised after that the entire county was behind us in the manner in which the Board resisted the pressure’.
O’Dwyer encouraged Louth to go on an win the Leinster for he told them there was a great spirit in the side.
Louth team that day: Gerry
Farrell, Peter Fitzpatrick, Kevin O’Hanlon, Dessie Callaghan, Stephen Melia (Capt.), David Mulligan, Colm McCarragher, Seamus O’Hanlon, John Osboorne, Alan O’Connor, Brendan Kerin (0-2), Pat Butterly (0-4, all frees), Stefan White (2-4, two frees), Fintan Murphy (0-1), Cathal O’Hanlon. Subs. Nicholas Browne, David Reilly, Gerry Curran.
Kildare scorers, Paul McLoughlin (0-6, three frees), Declan Kerrigan (1-1), Jarlath Gilroy (1-0), Johnny McDonald (0-2) and Brian Donovan (0-1).
Unfortunately Louth didn’t build on that magical day in Drogheda, for although they were strongly fancied to beat Laois in the semi-final, having hammered them in the League months earlier, they missed countless chances to win the first match which ended in a draw, and were beaten in the replay.