Best of.......................

2012


As always on the blog I tend to look positively at the overall Louth GAA picture and a 'best of' round up of 2012 is no different.

Like majority of Louth seasons the first half is crammed with inter county games O'Byrne Cup, league and early naive optimism takes place and then before you know it the hard ground see's the Club season takes over.

This year was no exception.......

We stayed in Division 2, a massive achievement by all standards and the manner in which we beat Meath had us all glowing but Championship is a different animal and Dublin once again showed us how far off that elite level we are. 

Likewise with our under 21's a promising bunch won 3 Leinster games in a row defeating Kilkenny, Longford and Offaly before a Ultra talented Dublin side put them to the sword.

Our Minors also got a win before the lily whites beat them away.

A big Shout out to our Hurlers and Ladies who also reached finals in their respective grades alas to again be defeated,

but.

you get the feeling. they are just. 

on the verge of winning that Nicky Rackard cup and prestigious All-Ireland Junior title sooner rather than later.

so all in all we're going in the right direction.....

and we're not a bad wee county at all......

But, our season is over before it begins May/June.....and I know we all have our clubs to go back to and club games to tide us over. 

Kudos to our Club Champs
Pats, O'Connells and Glen Emmetts,
Pearse Og hurlers and Stabannon ladies  


But,
something has to give for 2013 and it did, We needed a boost of optimism, a change to take us into the new year.

And we got it. 

Peter Fitzpatrick stood down and Aidan O'Rourke takes charge, new ladies Manager Ciaran Marks has been introduced and even New jerseys with a new Sponsor will hopefully allow us and take us on that bit further in 2013.

here's hoping!!!


NOW without Further ado

I'm going to do my best Gary Lineker/Sue Barker Impression and present to you....

my BEST OF 2012 Awards


The Spanish Soccer team Best Team Performance: Meath Game

The annihilation of the self destructing Meath team was the highlight of the year bar none.

In Navan, we relegated the Royals, and gave one of the best Louth performances ever....from the word go we played a complete Spanish Tic-Tac football putting together sublime moves and running the royals ragged and frustrating them to 13 men. 

Shame that game in April was the peak of our season. 

Noticeable mentions:
Galway and Derry away draws.

 


The Katie Taylor Best Individual Performance: Ray Finnegan

For those of us that travelled down to Mullingar for the qualifier game where the lads were defeated by Westmeath. 

You treated to an outstanding performance by Ray Finnegan.

Missing several key players to injury and already down to 14 men and then Due to a outrageous refereeing Decision we were reduced to 13 men.

but, this did not deter Ray 

As the game opened up, he basically put the Louth team on his back and played with as much heart as katie Taylor driving the Louth team on to a near famous victory.
Noticeable mentions: 
Derek maguire 2-2 versus Meath AND Darren Clarke's 1-7 versus Derry





The Colm Corrigan Best Find of 2012: Jim McEneaney 

Colm famously made this Statement during his commentary of the Derry away game and he was right Jim slotted in like a veteran, when in truth he was just a Rookie

Noticeable mentions: 
Danny O'C and Eoin O'C




The @clarkie2015 Best Hashtag of 2012: #inpopwetrust

Noticeable mentions:  

#Mckeeversbelievers #LouthandProud

The All-Ireland Champions Donegal, Best Team of 2012: St Patricks

Who Else?

They came, They saw, They Conquered.

Back to back Championship and then the League double

Noticeable mentions: 
O'Connells, Glen Emmetts, Pearse Og and Stabannon Ladies




The Lance Armstrong Best Enemy of 2012: Referee Derek Fahy

I openly make a point about not blaming or pointing the finger at referee's.

But we would have beaten Westmeath again that day if it wasn't for him.

Darren Clarke, not a dirty player, was Sent off for pulling a player off the ground after he dived!

Rory O'Carroll click the link didn't even get a yellow for that incident which was worse!

yes, i'm still angry about it!!! 

Noticeable mentions: 
Dublin U21's and Senior's and Antrim Ladies 



The Jimmy McGuinness Best Manager of 2012: Wayne McKeever

The man who instilled belief in the fragile Castlebellingham minds and finally got them over the line to win the Intermediate championship.

He also brought them to 3 other finals this season.

Sheelan Cup, Cardinal O'Donnell and Leinster Club

Thats some going in his first full season.

Noticeable mentions: 
Fergal Reel and Ciaran Marks 




The Ryder Cup Best Shock of 2012: Glen Emmets 

The Junior championship is a minefield at the best of times but a lot of punters lost a lot of money on the Oliver Plunketts exit at the Semi final stage.

The Division 1 league team were favourites to walk the championship with Ease....

The Tullyallen men had other idea's dumping them out after being down early on in the game.

This was no flash in the pan for the Emmetts either as they went on to win the Christy Bellew Cup outright.

Noticeable mentions: 
Glyde/Mattock Championship, Clogher's Semi final win over the Blues and Plunketts Minors

THANKS A MILLION 

for reading and your support over the past year, Appreciate it.

 

Hopefully See you all in the New Year here

And

 

Hopefully it will be a Louth and Proud one!!!