Mark Diffley looking forward to a proper County Final

A County Final is a County Final no matter the time, date or venue but sometimes, it doesn’t feel like that - particularly when crowds are missing. So it is no great surprise to learn that St Mary’s Mark Diffley is relishing the chance to play in what he might term as a “proper County Final.”

The Leitrim defender was speaking ahead of St Mary’s Kiltoghert’s return to the Connacht Gold Leitrim Senior Football Championship decider next Sunday in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, Mark having played in the 2020 decider against the same opposition Mohill.

But that 2020 Final was played under Covid restrictions with a limited crowd of just a few hundred fans so it is not surprising to hear Mark admit how much he is looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd on Sunday.

“It was good to get our first experience of it two years ago, to get a run out in a County Final but during that came Covid, it wasn’t a proper county final - there weren’t a lot of supporters there so we’re looking forward to getting back there on Sunday and it should be a nice occasion for everybody.”

Any talk of this county final naturally comes around to Mohill and having lost to them two years ago and with three meetings between League and Championship already this year, Mark and his St Mary’s teammates are well used to sight of Keith Beirne and Mohill at this stage!

“We had Mohill two years ago in the final and this year in the League final, we know them well, they know us well and obviously it is nice to get another go at them.”

Looking back on the semi-final victory over Fenagh St Caillins, Mark expected nothing less than the ferocious battle the Carrick men came through: “It was a tough game, Fenagh are probably a couple of years ahead of us in the process, but I know how tough they are from playing them at underage level. We always expect a tough game from them and I’m sure it is the same for them.”

Sunday’s Final is yet another game in a long year for the St Mary’s defender who impressed with the County side in 2022. And even though he was late integrating back into the club set-up, Mark was impressed with the work going on behind the scenes at St Mary’s.

“Coming back from the county this year, it was a shorter break than I would have liked,” revealed Mark, “But I was delighted to get back in with the lads here because I saw the amount of work they were getting through before I got back so it was nice to come back into that. It is great that we got to the final so whatever we are doing is working.”

Strangely, even though he just turned 22 himself, Mark finds himself in the unusual position of being one of the old men of the St Mary’s squad but despite the youth in their ranks, he believes Alan Flynn’s side are ready to make a breakthrough.

“I just turned 22 there a few weeks ago and to be one of the more senior players, it is strange. We take that with pride, we take that in our stride, and we know we are well capable of it. We’ve been around the block for the last two or three years, so we think we’re ready.”

As for the whole occasion and excitement of the County Final, St Mary’s and Mark will have their feet very much on the ground! “For us, it doesn’t matter what happens in any game, we focus on our process, and we’ll stick to it. We know what we are, we know how good we are and we’re going to stick with it.”