Senior final result: Ardee St Mary’s 0-15 Naomh Mairtin 1-11

Ardee St Mary’s 0-15  Naomh Mairtin 1-11

Ardee St. Mary’s are Louth senior champions once again by defeating Naomh Mairtin by one point in an absorbing game of football at St. Brigid’s Park in Dowdallshill.

Like buses, Ardee having waited 27 years to reclaim Joe Ward, made it back to back win but had to dig ever so deep to do so. This final was an absorbing one. 

In what has become custom to the winners this season they overcame a sluggish start where Cathal Murray’s side trailed by seven points after eleven minutes on the clock.

A combination of sheer intensity from Declan McCoy’s strategic planning and tackling and pressure on James McGillick’s kick out had Ardee under the utmost pressure.

With McGillick finding the narrow surroundings tough going and over spilling wayward restarts on the sideline on numerous occasions, Naomh Mairtin sensed blood.

Sam Mulroy had his fingerprints all over their explosive start for the underdogs by setting up Cian Sand’s opening goal and kicking three points in a stunning 1-5 to 0-1 early lead.

Youngster Seán Callaghan was the unlikely source of the revival. Taking a slightly misplaced Kian Moran pass, Callagahn cut in and pointed from distance. Ardee had been presented their answer.

Jonathan Commins kicked Ardee’s opening point with a pressure free early on but his four points in a row was match-defining amidst a swashbuckling eight point run of scores.

The ability to attack and perhaps Ardee’s unique quality of forward play was their only way to win and it proved to be the case on the day.

With Ardee purring now, Dáire McConnon took a marvellous Donal McKenny foot pass and swung over to level.

It got better for Ardee, McConnon clipped over seconds later to land a psychological blow to Declan McCoy’s side, the lead point before half time, 0-9 to 1-5. All the while, the Mairtins went 20 plus minutes without a score.

Mulroy finally ended the drought with a determined mark that set up an immense second half display regardless of the stinging finish.

Ciarán Kiki Keenan showed Ardee’s devastating scoring power by punishing a Mulroy shot into McGillick’s hands to rapidly go the other way and finish.

Mulroy once again had his side on his weighty shoulders but the loss of the Australian quartet and Dara McDonnell from the semi final was beginning to become apparent.

Declan McCoy emptied the bench with limited effect but Tom Gray and Mulroy did in fact gave the Mairtin’s a short lived lead in the contest before McConnon and Commins again stood up for the winners.

Ironically Ardee would have to hold out for ten minutes with that lead showing a defensive side to things they have hidden under their forward arsenal.

Mulroy would cut the gap to one but agonisingly missed a free to bring both sides back for another day out.

Wayne Campbell punched a Seán Healy hail Mary in the finish and with the split second of time it could have gone anywhere. However for the second year running, James McGillick caught it off the goal line and thumped clear and with that Ardee regained their crown.

ARDEE ST. MARY'S: James McGillick; Paraic McKenny, Donal  McKenny, Tiernan Corrigan 0-1; Kian Moran, Eimhin Keenan, Carl Gillespie 0-1; Sean Callaghan 0-1, Robbie Leavy; Ciaran Keenan 0-1, Liam Jackson, Jonathan Commins 0-6 (3f); Ryan Rooney, Daire McConnon 0-5, Tom Jackson. Subs: Conor Gillespie for R Leavy (37), Ronan Carroll for S Callaghan (54), Tadhg McDonnell for Carl Gillespie (63).

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Craig Lynch; Tadhg O’Brien, Thomas Sullivan, Shane Morgan; Seam Healy, Evan Whelan, Conor Healy; Wayne Campbell, Jack Murphy; Tom Gray 0-1, Sam Mulroy 0-8 (3f, 1m, 1 45), Cian Sands 1-0; Conor Whelan 0-1, Val Leddy, Stephen Campbell 0-1. SUBS: Darragh Dorian for C Sands (37), Ben Callanan for S Campbell (58), Mick Fanning for S Morgan (58), Jack Lynch for C Whelan (60), Conor Smith for T O’Brien (60).

REF: Colm McCullough (Naomh Fionnbarra)