THE LAST POINT: Connacht days ones to savour

There is something different about an away day in the Connacht Club Championship, whether it is the anticipation of the journey to new venues or simply the trip into the unknown. All I know is that the expeditions into Connacht that Leitrim Gaels, Allen Gaels, Aughavas & Cluainin undertake next weekend are days that they'll remember for quite some time.

Maybe that's because the memory of my Connacht away days remain so vivid - 1990 was my first year with the Observer and a hectic unexpected year that included National League promotion, an All-Ireland B title, a Fr Manning Cup title, victory over a Mick O'Dwyer led Kildare, Cavan and Mayo in the League and a Connacht U21 Final appearance were topped, in my memory bank at least, by a trip to Athenry just two days before Christmas!

We weren't supposed to be heading for Athenry, a hurling stronghold, but rather the hallowed ground of St Jarlath's Stadium. At the time, Tuam was a venue that sent shivers down the spines of  Leitrim fans but Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins won their way to the Connacht Club Final where they would take on new boys Salthill, no Knocknacarra to their name back then!

Somehow, in the days without mobile phones, word filtered through that Tuam was unplayable so suddenly, hundreds of Leitrim cars were taking byroads and detours to get to Athenry. In all honesty, the game shouldn't have gone ahead given the torrential, freezing rain that lashed down on both teams but, back then, the show had to go on and things like health & safety and concern for spectators took a back seat.

That might have been because the game was taking place just two days before Christmas, a fact  which necessitated a bit of planning on my part - the lift to Athenry was easy, Willie Donnellan at the wheel and Athenry was actually a Godsend because the Dublin train ran through the Galway town so, despite  a long wait for the evening train, everything worked out reasonably ok.

THE LAST POINT: LIVING UP TO THE OCCASION NOT SO EASY

The only thing that didn't work out was on the field - Ballinamore put in a remarkable display against a Salthill team who were beginning to emerge on the Galway scene. They had won their first title that year but with players like Niall Finnegan, they had the raw ingredients for success and unfortunately, they prevailed on a 0-11 to 0-5 scoreline.

In  truth, the scoreline flattered the seaside club - Ballinamore were right in contention and in Olly Honeyman, they had the uncontested man of the match who gave a superb performance. But no more than Aughawillan in the years that followed or St Mary's and Allen Gaels, there is always a tinge of regret given that Salthill went all the way to Croke Park to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup.

That's important because the perceived wisdom is that it takes a few attempts to make a go of winning a provincial title. That's usually the case but equally, like Salthill's example in 1990, Caltra in 2003 and even Dublin's Cuala last year,  if the iron is hot, there is nothing to stop a team striking and going all the way to glory.

Leitrim Gaels, Allen Gaels and Aughavas are all in semi-finals and may harbour secret thoughts that something wonderful will happen next weekend and reaching a provincial final would be an incredible achievement in itself. 

I often say I was spoiled in my early years with the Observer with Connacht titles at inter-county level at Senior, U21 and Minor and even an All-Ireland B Final. But on the club scene, Leitrim were just as groundbreaking - Ballinamore's Final appearance in 1990 was followed by Aughawillan in 1992 and 1994, St Mary's Kiltoghert in 1995 and Allen Gaels in 1997. 

Since then, only Carrigallen & Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins at intermediate level and Eslin in the Junior grade have reached Provincial Finals so just getting there is a statement. If I were the three clubs in action next weekend, I'd look to St Mary's in 1995 as the template to follow - Ballinamore in 1990 and 2016 were seasoned teams as were Aughawillan and Allen Gaels and Carrigallen were around for a while too but St Mary's made a big breakthrough that year and went all the way to the Connacht Final.

It wasn't that they got a favourable draw - Eastern Harps built a big early lead before a Gene Bohan inspired Mary's cut loose to demonstrate the outrageous talent in the squad. Next up were the formidable Clann na Gael, the Corofin and Kilcoo of the time, with Mary's winning a titanic struggle in Pairc Sean.

The dream ended in Corofin, a 2-11 to 0-10 loss overshadowed by off-field shenanigans and sideline misbehaviour, but what Mary's showed, 30 years ago this year, was that a team that went out believing in their talent and fierce in their ambition could do great things.

THE LAST POINT: GAELS HEED THEIR HARSH LESSON

All three Leitrim teams next weekend face the same simple question - has their hunger being sated by winning their Leitrim titles? Aughavas have won Junior crowns in recent years but this is a new emerging young squad and coming down from the high of their win over Drumreilly is the challenge they face -  they have the bonus of home advantage with Carna Caiseal facing a mammoth three hour plus journey simply to get to Ballinamore before they even think of kicking a ball!

Leitrim Gaels are on the other side of that - a journey to a windy Pearse Stadium and I'm sure everyone will be checking the weather forecasts over the next week to see what it will mean for the game. Allen Gaels haven't as far to go but Strokestown are one of those teams that could prove problematic for a talented Gaels squad with real ambition.

The only team not really stepping into the unknown is Cluainin hurlers - they host an Easkey side they know well from the local circuit on Saturday in Carrick and there is no doubt that there is an ambition to reach a Connacht Final.

That actually is the  thing that stands out about all four Leitrim teams in action next weekend, their stated ambition of not letting the county down in Connacht. All four face difficult tasks but if they attack their Provincial opponents with the verve and ambition that they displayed in Leitrim, who knows what might happen as we wish them the best of luck.