Football

Big day for 'wee county' Louth but Dublin will still win Leinster SFC in some style

The Dublin team celebrate with the Delaney Cup after winning the 2011 Leinster SFC Final - they've won every year since then too.
The Dublin team celebrate with the Delaney Cup after winning the 2011 Leinster SFC Final - they've won every year since then too. The Dublin team celebrate with the Delaney Cup after winning the 2011 Leinster SFC Final - they've won every year since then too.

Leinster SFC Final preview: Dublin (holders) v Louth (Croke Park, 1.45pm Sunday)

YOU never know…

Except you do.

There is some hope for Louth, of course. They have an excellent management team, in Mickey Harte and Gavin Devlin.

Dublin were disappointing in their semi-final against Kildare, fortunate to edge to victory.

And it's 50 years since the wee county's last SFC victory over the Dubs – whom they also beat when they last won Leinster, in 1957.

Yet so much has changed in the last 10 years, never mind over more than half a century.

The Delaney Cup has become the property of Dublin GAA and will surely remain so, for a record-extending 13th year.

That would be embarrassing for Leinster football if not for the fact that the Dubs were an astonishingly dominant force over the previous decade, across the island not just in their own province.

Still, there wasn't a single Leinster team in Division One earlier this year, although Dublin did regain their top flight status by finishing second in Division Two, then beating Derry in the divisional final.

Louth finished third, but the gap between them and the Dubs is much greater than the four points in that table.

Going back to those earlier points of hope, sadly for Louth they soon disappear.

Louth have better men on the line, but the match will be won and lost on the pitch.

Tyrone men Gavin Devlin and Mickey Harte have made great progress with Louth football - but beating Dublin is a step too far.
Tyrone men Gavin Devlin and Mickey Harte have made great progress with Louth football - but beating Dublin is a step too far. Tyrone men Gavin Devlin and Mickey Harte have made great progress with Louth football - but beating Dublin is a step too far.

Dublin were below-par against Kildare, but that will surely mean a backlash from them tomorrow.

The Dubs got a wake-up call, a boot up the proverbial, and they will be much better than they were then.

Even a repeat performance would probably be enough, though.

Remember, Louth needed extra time to see off Offaly, who couldn't get out of Division Three. Harte's men also only edged past Westmeath, who also remained in the third tier of league football.

Louth captain Sam Mulroy is a good forward, but Dublin include several modern-day greats: Ciaran Kilkenny, Con O'Callaghan, and Paul Mannion. Dean Rock, Jack McCaffrey, and Cormac Costello all came off the bench, with the last-named in the selection announced yesterday. Brian Howard and Niall Scully are also in reserve.

Ciaran Kilkenny is just one of a few modern-day greats on the Dublin team. Picture Margaret McLaughlin
Ciaran Kilkenny is just one of a few modern-day greats on the Dublin team. Picture Margaret McLaughlin Ciaran Kilkenny is just one of a few modern-day greats on the Dublin team. Picture Margaret McLaughlin

The midfield combo last time out consisted of two living legends: James McCarthy and Brian Fenton.

Kildare had a very high shot conversion rate, with only three wides – but they still only scored 0-12.

The Dublin defence is much-changed from the six-in-a-row but the core of Davy Byrne and John Small remains top-notch.

The biggest problem for Louth is the reward for the winners.

Dublin lifting the Leinster trophy may have become one of the most joyless sights in sport, but the destination is what matters.

The losers of this tie will go into Sam Maguire Group 1 along with Kerry, Mayo, and Cork.

The winners will be in Group 3, with Sligo, Roscommon, and Kildare.

Dublin will not want to run any risk of creating a potential 'Group of Death'.

The sloppiness, the sluggishness, the wayward passes and off-target shooting from the semi-final will not be repeated.

Louth deserve to be in this decider, their supporters deserve to enjoy their first Leinster Final since the infamous 2010 robbery by Meath.

However, dreams of red and white flags flying to hail a victory are just that – dreams.

Dublin have won the last 12 Leinster Finals by an average of more than 12 points. The last three by an average of more than 16 points.

Louth might keep them below a double figure winning margin, something only Kildare (2017) have done in the last nine deciders, and that would be an achievement in itself. 'Horse' and Harte have got Louth disciplined, hard-working, and organised, which will help, but...Dublin gonna Dublin.

Goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton will finish up with his 17th Leinster medal – only one other Leinster county, Meath, has more titles to its name.

Sunday is a big day for 'the wee county' but Dublin will be far too good for them.

Dublin's Brian Fenton challenges Kerry's Gavin White during last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Pic Philip Walsh
Dublin's Brian Fenton challenges Kerry's Gavin White during last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Pic Philip Walsh Dublin's Brian Fenton challenges Kerry's Gavin White during last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Pic Philip Walsh

DUBLIN v LOUTH

They meet in the Leinster final for the first time since 1958 when Dublin won by 1-11 to 1-6. Louth were reigning All-Ireland champions at the time, having beaten Cork in the previous year’s final.

Dublin are bidding for their 62nd Leinster title and their 13th in a row. Louth are seeking their ninth title and their first since 1957.

PATHS TO THE FINAL:

Dublin:

Dublin 4-30 Laois 2-9 (quarter-final)

Dublin 0-14 Kildare 0-12 (semi-final)

Top Scorers: Con O’Callaghan 1-9 (0-3 frees, 0-1 mark); Colm Basquel (1-6); Ciaran Kilkenny 1-5; Paul Mannion 0-6 (0-1 free); Lee Gannon 1-1.

Louth:

Louth 2-10 Westmeath 1-11 (quarter-final)

Louth 0-27 Offaly 2-15 AET (semi-final)

Top Scorers: Sam Mulroy 1-10 (0-6 frees, 1-0 pen); Ciaran Downey 0-7; Conor Early 0-4; Liam Jackson 1-1; Conor Grimes 0-4

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2019: Dublin 5-21 Louth 0-10 (Leinster quarter-final)

2012: Dublin 2-22 Louth 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2010: Dublin 2-14 Louth 0-13 (All-Ireland qualifier)

2008: Dublin 1-22 Louth 0-12 (Leinster quarter-final)

2003: Dublin 1-19 Louth 0-9 (Leinster quarter-final)

LAST FIVE LEINSTER FINAL MEETINGS

1958: Dublin 1-11 Louth 1-6

1957: Louth 2-9 Dublin 1-7

1934: Dublin 2-9 Louth 1-10 (second replay)

1934: Dublin 3-2 Louth 2-5 (replay)

1934: Dublin 1-2 Louth 0-5

This will be the 57th Dublin-Louth championship game, having met for the first time in 1889. Dublin have won 37 to Louth’s 13 and six draws in the previous 56.

Louth are seeking their first championship win over Dublin since 1973 when they won a Leinster second round replay by 1-8 to 0-9 in Pairc Tailteann. Twelve of the 17 Dublin players who featured that day were on the team that won the All-Ireland title a year later.

Dublin beat Louth by 0-16 to 1-6 in this year’s Division Two clash in Croke Park in March. Dublin led 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time.

Louth were last in the Leinster final in 2010 when they lost to Meath. Dublin’s last defeat in the Leinster final was in 2001 when they lost to Meath. They have been in 18 finals since then (missing out in 2003-04-10) winning all 18.

Dublin have conceded no goals in any of their last seven championship games with Louth.