Croker memories yet to be made

Croke Park - even the  name conjures up images of glory and heartbreak, feats of individual brilliance and  memories that will last a lifetime, creating an aura for any gaelic footballer or hurler that makes it the ultimate experience. It is also an aura that Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins have to forget all about next Saturday!

In my time with the Observer, I've been lucky enough to report on ten Leitrim teams in Croke Park but just two wins to savour  in that time. There have been near misses and hammering dished out to the Green & Gold at GAA headquarters so when it comes to Ballinamore next Saturday, I'd rather see the win rather than the memories.

That's hard because we build up playing in Croke Park to an inordinate degree and for Barney Breen's side, there are challenges much different to what he faced back in 1994 - my first trip to Jones Road with a Leitrim team. A stadium packed with Leitrim fans roaring on the Green & Gold against my native Dubs is as different as you can get.

Fortune favours the brave

THE LAST POINT

From what I can gather, Ballinamore is going decamp en-mass to Croke Park on Saturday and they'll make their voice heard but in a 80,000 plus seater stadium, vast sections of the ground will be completely empty, no chants or cheers emanating from the rafters so that is going to be a challenge.

Leitrim  pushed the Dubs to the pins of their collars in the first League game after Pat O'Neill's team won the All-Ireland in 1995 but the tough days in Croke Park have been very tough - Leitrim Minors and the County Vocational Schools teams both suffered heavy defeats at semi-final and final level in 1998 and 1995 respectively, the Tommy Murphy Cup Final against Louth in 2006 wasn't much better for a Leitrim fan on a great day for our neighbours in Mayo and Roscommon.

Leitrim's hurlers, under the financial microscope in recent weeks, at least tasted glory in the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup Final - just two years after losing the decider - which means many of the county's small ball heroes have lined out more in the hallowed venue than our county footballers whose most recent expedition to Croke Park was for the 2019 Allianz League Division 4 Final - a rip-roaring occasion with thousands of Green & Gold fans that ended with a battling four point loss to Derry and look at the Oak Leafers now!

That all seems a tale of woe but for our Ladies footballers, Croke Park has seen more joy than sorrow. The Ladies won the first ever All-Ireland Junior title back in 1988 in Croke Park, beating London 2-8 to 0-5 although that was before my time with the Observer. Defeat was their lot in 2006 against Sligo at the same grade but 2007 saw a spectacular Leitrim claim the first ever All-Ireland Intermediate title against Wexford.

That's important because the Green & Gold were inspired that day by Player of the Match and All Star Sarah McLoughlin - the same Sarah who is leading the line for Ballinamore against Glanmire next Saturday. If ever there is an  inspiration, Sarah certainly lives up to the standard, a  reminder of what can be achieved on the greatest stage of all although I'm sure she is so delighted now that she shelved her retirement plans for one more season with Ballinamore.

I suppose what I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is that playing in Croke Park is a fabulous experience, winning in it is altogether different and Brian Breen, no stranger to Croker, has been stressing that to his players ever since the semi-final - getting to Croke Park may seem like a dream, and it is, but Ballinamore's players have got to think about winning there now and that requires a mind-set and a performance that blocks out the outside noise.

That outside noise comes from pure excitement and joy at what Ballinamore have achieved this year - the fact that a GoFundMe page has raised over €14,000 towards the costs of the trip to Croke Park underlines the pride Ballinamore has in their players but insulating yourself from the hype is the main task for the players at this moment.

What are Ballinamore's chances of capping off a dream year with a dream ending in Croke Park? They've had their luck, of course they have, but you can't instil the resilience and spirit these players have shown so you've got to say they've a very good chance. Croke Park's vast spaces and firm surface will suit Ballinamore's speedy players down to the ground but I'm sure Glanmire will feel the same.

A week of one high and two lows in Leitrim GAA

By John Connolly

To be honest, I don't know much about the Cork women but I do know that any team coming out of the Rebel County has got to have quality. The fact that they won the All-Ireland Junior title in 2018, contested the last four Cork Intermediate Finals and overcame Na Fianna of Meath in this year's semi-final just 24 hours after playing an All-Ireland Camogie semi-final also underlines the scale of the challenge facing Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins.

That Ballinamore are up to that challenge is beyond question and nobody in their right mind will write them off after their exploits against Eoghan Rua & Steelstown Brian Ogs. It is going to be incredibly tough to get the better of Glanmire but if they concentrate on doing the simple things they do so well, it doesn't matter if the pitch is Croke Park, Markievicz Park or Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin. Do that and do it well and  Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins can write their names in the history books as Leitrim winners in Croke Park!