"I felt like we left it behind us" says Melvin Gaels Aiden Murray of 2023 Smith Monumentals IFC Final

Melvin Gaels manager Aiden Murray fully understands the challenge they face against Allen Gaels in Sunday’s Smith’s Monumental Intermediate Final in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin (3.30 throw-in).

Allen Gaels have looked impressive in the championship so far, racking up a score line of 4-10 against a strong Drumkeerin side in the semi-final: “Looking at them last night, now they are going to be a very hard team stopped, they are another level again and they have a couple players back, and they are going to be a hard team stopped so hopefully we have enough to get over the line in two weeks time,” said Melvin Gaels manager Aiden Murray.

The Ballyshannon native, took the helm in Kinlough midway through last season with his father and 1992 All-Ireland winner Val Murray, he is happy with the rapid progress he feels his team has made since then.

“I came in last year half way through the season. We kicked on fast, we kicked on very strongly. I thought we finished the league very well, we topped our group and we went straight to a semi-final … The final last year was a tough day at the office, you know there were a couple of decisions that went against us, I felt we left it behind us.”

The north Leitrim darby holds very different significance for the clubs as Allen Gaels will be hoping to make their first major final visit in 22 years a winning one. Melvin Gaels will be looking for their first big win in Murray’s tenure, as they contest their third final in as as many years.

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They will also be looking for redemption after failing to achieve promotion last year in the intermediate final against Annaduff:  “The championship final was left behind last year so we can’t leave this one behind. It’s too hard of work, you know, you are going from January, it’s coming into October now and you work too hard for these days, so we can let it slip,” Murray says.

Promotion back to the ranks of senior football is the ultimate goal of Melvin Gaels, who were relegated in 2022 by Dromahair, a year after they did the same to Allen Gaels: “Allen Gaels kicked on well in the championship, it shows that they are a division one senior team no more than ourselves. 

“We got promoted to division one, we are down to our second intermediate final in two years - we want to be mixing it up with the best of them because I feel this young group of players are capable of doing it.”

Melvin Gaels have had a difficult year with injuries as Cillian McGloin and Jamie Moore were both put out of action with major injuries earlier in the season, while Gary Clancy was forced to bow out of their Semi-final against Carrigallen with what seemed like a calf injury.

Regardless, Murray believes they will have a formidable and determined outfit heading into the final. “We will have a strong 20-25 there, anyone who is on the line there is willing to come in and do their job, ” he said.

Murray feels that the depth that they have in their bench is a real asset for them in the championship so far. “We have players who come on who are equal or just as good as (those starting) … It's not about the fifteen that start, it's about what we use on the day. That’s the way we have been through the championship, so it is, and the lads have really proven themselves in that, they are calling themselves the bomb squad everytime they come in now,” he laughs.

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The likes of Joe McGloin, who replaced Gary Clancy in the semi-final and made a huge contribution to their win: “Joe is exceptional, Joe is brilliant, we are very happy with him. He can burn players, win 50/50 ball, kick scores, he can set up play. He is an all-round forward. And I think he’s a real asset to us whether he starts or comes off the bench, having him on the field it’s brilliant,” said Murray.

There is extra onus on this year's final, as an extra two teams are added to the division, making the second tier of Leitrim football more competitive and a more difficult place to win promotion next season. But Murray says that is not worth thinking about right now. “You're not going out worrying about next year, you have to look at this year. It’s 60 minutes and that's it.”