Moran’s marvels can conquer Louth in All-Ireland quarter-final
John Price and his Roscommon minor football team-mates will be hoping to produce another big showing against Louth on Saturday evening. Picture: Bernie O'Farrell
Watching the Leinster U-17 football final between Louth and Offaly, it was obvious that the Wee County looked the better team for the bulk of the contest.
Like a bad flu, however, they couldn’t shake off a resilient Offaly side that refused to lie down.
With Roscommon waiting in the wings for the loser, Shane Moran’s side were like the meat inside a sandwich. For huge chunks of the Leinster decider, Louth were a tasty triple decker. Offaly were a plain ham and cheese sambo. It seemed to suggest that playing Offaly would be the better bet in an All-Ireland quarter-final.
As the closing chapter began to play out and in typical Offaly fashion the Faithful boys produced a rousing comeback. Down the stretch, I was cheering on the underdog even though I knew the consequences of an Offaly victory — the young Rossies would be meeting Louth in the last eight.
As a result, the Wee County will rock up to Kingspan Breffni on Saturday evening with firm notions of beating Roscommon. As Connacht champions, however, the Primrose and Blue will not fear the challenge. With a five-game winning run under their belts, which includes beating Mayo twice and winning away against Galway, they will be up for the task.
Coming from behind in the provincial final against Mayo was a real tonic for the team. But Louth are a big, strong physical side that have already put Dublin to the sword in Leinster.
Johnny Clerkin’s side possess an excellent midfield partnership in Tom Maguire and Cillian McQuillan. In corner-forward, Connell Kelly, they have one of the best forwards in the country at U-17 level who has already posted 2-49 on route to the last eight.
With former Tyrone manager Mickey Harte’s right-hand man, Gavin Devlin, as head coach, Louth are a well-drilled side that also have senior team manager Ger Brennan involved on match days.
As the championship has progressed, Roscommon have got better and better. They have the look of a team that are full of confidence in their own ability. The management has created a healthy environment where players are allowed to express themselves. Their motto is based around improvement with every game.
Both sides enter the last eight hurdle with different feelings. Roscommon arrive as Connacht champions whereas Louth are beaten provincial finalists. In the minds of young players, the advantage lies in the Primrose and Blue camp.
John Price stole the limelight in the Connacht final. Maybe on Saturday evening, it will the “quiet man” Luke Shally that will grab the headlines.
Roscommon must deliver an hour of hard work, have a varied kickout strategy, be disciplined in defence (Connell Kelly is razor sharp from frees) and continue their goalscoring exploits.
They need Diarmuid O’Higgins, Shay McGuinness, Sam Hannon, Dean Casey and Dara Curran to deliver huge performances. They can’t afford to fall asleep in the third quarter like they did against Mayo.
If they tick those boxes, the Primrose and Blue can reach their first All-Ireland minor semi-final since 2021 after winning the Connacht final on St. Stephen’s Day in 2020 during Covid.
But let’s be clear — Roscommon need a big following in Cavan. The 16th man is needed. It would represent the backing these young players deserve.
A young Roscommon junior camogie panel have made progress under the steady hand of Mary Grehan.
They were hoping to build on reaching the Division Three League final heading into the championship. But they were dealt a tough hand in terms of the way the fixtures panned out.
In many ways, their opening two games against Armagh and Laois are like an exam student being given an honours paper, having studied for ordinary level.
The first question on the paper was posed by Armagh who won easily. With no time to recover, the second question has Premier Junior Championship favourites and league winners, Laois, coming to Woodmount on Saturday.
The O’Moore camógs recorded a commanding win over Wicklow to get their championship up and running.
After the Laois game, Roscommon will have some breathing space, and opportunities, to start getting some marks on the correction sheet with games against Wicklow and Louth away, and Tyrone at home, to conclude the round robin series.
This weekend, Laois will be another learning curve. One area of improvement from the Armagh defeat will be to make a better start as the Orchard County had the game won at half time two weeks ago.
Two-pointers are all the rave in Gaelic football, and I had plenty of long-range shooters last week.
Can you name the only manager to beat Jim McGuinness twice in championship football? It was Malachy O'Rourke with Monaghan in 2013 and recently with Tyrone.
Seán Farrell, Dublin, was first to raise an orange flag. QPR, Frenchpark; John Croghan, Bundoran; Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen; Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Fr John McManus, PP, Castlerea; Bernard Duffy, Longford/Loughglynn; Tom Mullaney, Boyle; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; Pat O’Connor, Castlerea; James Healy, Mount Talbot; John Wynne, Kilteevan; David Callaghan, Castlerea; Paddy Boland, Youghal; Pat, Sligo; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Luigi, Ballyhaunis; Mary McCarthy, Holloway, and Michael Kearns, Clapham, also found the range from outside the 40-metre arc.
This week’s Teaser: Can you name the last man to play senior championship hurling for Offaly and Limerick?
Answers by e-mail to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser comes from Dublin.
Star pupil: Enda Smith showed why he is an All-Star footballer as the Boyle man produced an outstanding second-half performance against Meath.
Crucial win for: Mayo who, like a wasp, stung Tyrone in the lion's den of Omagh.
Much do better: Westmeath tossed away an automatic Tailteann Cup quarter-final at home by losing to Limerick.
Spot of bother: Leinster football champions Louth face a make or break clash with Clare to stay in the championship.
Weekend highlight: A cracking championship game in King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park between Roscommon and Meath alongside a special guest appearance at half time by the newly crowned Nickey Rackard Cup champions who were lauded in front of the huge crowd.
It made the evening even sweeter.
What a cracker: If Cork have cured their recent hangover against Limerick and rise to the occasion, they can turn their second game in a short space of time against John Kiely’s men into a Munster final cliffhanger.
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”
Young Tyrone football star, Eoin McElholm, has scored 4-16 from play across three All-Ireland finals over the past two years — 2-4 against Louth in last week’s All-Ireland U-20 final, 0-7 against Kerry in last year's U-20 decider, and 2-5 in the 2023 Hogan Cup final.
The Munster SHC final is always a special day on the GAA calendar but, in my opinion, €50 for a stand ticket and €40 for the terrace is far too expensive.
Limerick and Cork supporters have just gone through four games in the round-robin series. While the Munster Council knows that the demand is there, it’s still not a valid reason to increase the price of tickets for loyal fans.
