Young guns battle empire for glory in 2025 Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final

As a study in contrasts, there simply isn’t any better than the young guns of Leitrim Gaels coming up against the empire that is Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins as they battle to take home the Fenagh Cup after next Sunday’s Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final in Heartland Credit Union (3.30 pm throw-in).

The county’s youngest club in Leitrim Gaels come up against the club who has appeared in the most finals ever in Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins,  a record 21st title won back in 2021, all of which adds a subtext and drama to a game that doesn’t need any extra drama.

Not since Kiltubrid in 2005 has a team appearing in their first ever Senior Final brought home the title, the only club in over 100 years to lift the Fenagh Cup at the very first time of asking. In fact, the last time it was achieved before Kiltubrid 20 years ago, Aughawillan did it in 1923 so first time winners are extremely rare.

But this Leitrim Gaels team are not your ordinary tyros as, since they ascended to the Senior ranks in 2019, the Village men have been among the contenders each and every year. Yet at the end of the 2024 season, the Gaels seemed in decline but all that was reversed in one fell  swoop when Ryan, Conall & Garvan Jones transferred in and instantly made Leitrim Gaels the  favourites for this year’s Fenagh Cup.

Seeing the Gaels in the County Final is not a surprise - in fact, they’ve monopolised conversation in GAA circles this year, the addition of the Jones brothers polarising opinion, opinions that only seem to have gotten hotter the closer Leitrim Gaels have got to lifting the Fenagh Cup.

REACHING THE FINAL MEANS THE WORLD TO LEITRIM GAELS' DONAL CASEY

That’s understandable because the brothers have transformed the Gaels - Garvan & Conall  weigh in with the scores the Gaels traditionally found hard to get while Ryan quarter backs the  team from midfield. But as much as their on-field play, their impact on the psyche of their teammates is telling.

I’ve lost count of the number of Leitrim Gaels folk who cite the leadership  the Jones have brought to their team. They play with an edge, as every good team does, and a physicality that  teams have struggled to overcome. Yet many people believe that the one team with the armoury to do just that is facing them next Sunday.

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins were a matter of seconds from regaining the Fenagh Cup in 2024 and it is clear that is driving them this year. A loss to Mohill in the first round didn’t herald a glorious campaign but since then, O’Heslins have been steadily gathering pace and after a nine point win over Fenagh last Sunday, they have  all the appearance of an unstoppable train hurtling down the tracks.

Experience wise, they have it in buckets - Shane Moran is one player Leitrim Gaels may struggle to contain in the middle of the park while Wayne McKeon’s ability to distribute the ball is manna from heaven for Paul Honeyman and Tom Prior. That duo are the most cited reason I hear why many believe it will be Ballinamore’s day on Sunday.

Jordan Reynolds’ three second half goals have given the impression that the Gaels are vulnerable in the full back line but Mal Guckian’s side were intent on stopping two pointers, putting their best shut-down defenders out the field and that will surely change next Sunday.

You’d expect Donal Casey and David Bruen to take up man-marking duties on Prior & Honeyman and those battles could be worth the price of admission alone, Honeyman a consummate finisher  and Prior a livewire that goes everywhere and creates out of nothing.

But the Gaels duo are more than capable of locking down Ballinamore’s danger men, mobile, tough and combative with have hard won experience. The question is who can step up in support and Ballinamore certainly have potential match winners in Michael McKiernan and Paul Moran.

These two tend to fly under the radar but they are just as vital to Ballinamore as any, their tracking back and ability to win the ball and link-up play particularly effective and McKiernan in particular has come up with some big scores at crucial moments this year.

Ballinamore face the dilemma who picks up Conall & Garvan Jones, two powerful players who cover ground well. They might lack the absolute sheer speed of their  Ballinamore opposite numbers but both Jones win hard ball and  drive straight at the opposition, scoring from every sector.

Stephen Goldrick is an under-rated danger while David Regan  threw his hat into the ring as one to watch in the semi-final. And that’s without Aidan Flynn, Bruen, Casey, the Chandler brothers and Jack Flynn weighing with scores, giving the Gaels just as much firepower as Ballinamore.

MATTHEW MURPHY HOPES FINALS' EXPERIENCE WILL STAND TO BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS

Ballinamore have  averaged 21.7 points a game to 24 ppg for Leitrim Gaels although O’Heslins’ defence is marginally stingier with 14.23  ppg conceded to 16.2 for the Gaels. But O'Heslins'  numbers are inflated by their 31 point drubbing of Aughawillan so how much can we tell by raw numbers.

On the face of it, matching the physical power of  the two Jones is a dilemma but maybe not as much as we think because  O’Heslins defend as a unit, swarming the opposition and they are sure to get bodies back to frustrate the Gaels’  duo.

Physically, there is nothing between the teams but the Gaels seem impervious to conditions - they’ll cope with rain, hail or sunshine in the exact same way, relying on their physical conditioning and ferocious workrate. Ballinamore can do the same but the big question they face is how much has last    Sunday’s replay taken out of them?

 There is a school of thought that they are at a disadvantage in terms of recovery and preparing tactical plans for the Final but just as persuasive is the idea that nothing brings a team on like competitive games. 

The only fly in that ointment is if players are carrying injuries - Leitrim Gaels have had plenty of time to get everyone right while Ballinamore have been pedal to the floor for two games against Fenagh - in a game of inches, that could prove crucial.

Ballinamore have a clear advantage in that they’ve contested two finals in the past five seasons and three in the last eight, they’re familiar with the pageantry and hype of County Final day while the Gaels are approaching their first - the excitement around Leitrim Village is going through the roof and dealing with the hype will take some going.

But the core of that Gaels team have been around quite a while and even just talking to them, the players come across pretty matter of fact about the whole occasion.

As for a prediction, from the word go, I’ve felt Leitrim Gaels have had the look of winners about them - the addition of the Jones brothers gives them enormous experience in these scenarios and their intensity and hunger has stood out against some of the best teams of recent years.

A Ballinamore victory wouldn’t surprise me one little bit - there is just too much talent, too much grit and character and O’Heslins teams have always carried a deep reservoir of self-belief and confidence and that’s unlikely to be shaken by coming through a replay, in fact it may even add to it!

But gut feeling, I think the physicality, experience and intensity of Leitrim Gaels will carry them to a new chapter in Leitrim club football next Sunday.