Saints get the nod this time

SOME may see it as an omen. Others will see it as a source of motivation. Last year in their first IFC game for over 10 years, Cortown defeated St Ultan"s one afternoon in Athboy, but that may not be enough to save them on this occasion. Cortown had been relegated from the senior ranks the previous year while St Ultan"s had won the 2006 JFC to gain a ticket to the higher grade where they have made steady progress. Two clubs going in different directions, perhaps? Cortown won it that day more than 12 months ago in what was the last time these two sides met in a championship encounter. Ironically, this was to be the only game Cortown won in their 2007 IFC campaign. They subsequently struggled and were dragged into a relegation battle while St Ultan"s ultimately picked up momentum and went on to the quarter-finals where they lost to Nobber. St Ultan"s also made it to an A FL final last year where they were beaten by a Donaghmore / Ashbourne side that won the IFC and have since made a significant impact in this year"s SFC Cortown and St Ultan"s will renew parish rivalry again when they meet in the IFC final on Sunday. Since that clash in Athboy there have been significant changes in the respective camps. The most radical transformation has arguably taken place among the Cortown contingent. There are a number of intriguing features of Sunday"s game which includes the meeting of brothers David and Thomas Coyne on opposite sides. While Thomas will be wearing the green and black of St Ultan"s, David will be in the yellow of Cortown. There are also four Galligan brothers in the St Ultan"s camp. Another rumour doing the rounds is that former St Ultan"s player and current Galway Utd goalkeeper Gary Rogers was about to make dramatic return to his team"s line-up. Something similar to Stephen O"Neill with Tyrone for the All-Ireland SFC decider. With a lot of hard work and effort Cortown have managed to put in a sustained run to the final. They have also had a considerable dollop of good fortune. They were only millimetres away from defeat against Ballinlough in the semi-final. Ken Rothwell"s shot at goals in the dying seconds of normal time brushed the very top of one upright and bounced out with the sides level on 1-9 apiece. The manner in which Cortown upped the tempo in extra-time to go on and win with relative comfort spoke of a team that was well motivated and extremely fit. Sensing they had narrowly avoided execution, Cortown played like reprieved men. Manager John Henry admitted afterwards that his side didn"t perform well yet it was his players who were left smiling at the end of 80 minutes of high-octane football. Cortown supporters may well reflect on the old saying that a sign of a good team is that they win when playing badly. That was true against Ballinlough however, Henry"s side has produced some big performances this year including a close encounter with Nobber in the last group game. This was a contest Cortown needed to win without having to rely on other results to see them through. They managed that in a game that tested their mettle and resolve. Since their exile from the senior ranks two years ago Cortown have freshened up their panel with a coterie of young players who have helped to re-invigorate their challenge. Brian Smith, John McGerty, Richie Flanagan and Declan Clarke are some of the young guns that have emerged onto the team. Their youthful exuberance added to the experience provided by more seasoned campaigners such as Gordon Codd, Sylvie Skelton and Brian Casserly. Then there is Glen Loughran. For so long the fulcrum of the Cortown team, the former Meath underage player remains their driving force. His now high-level of fitness combined with his experience makes him a formidable presence in the Cortown set-up. Some of his fielding and visionary distribution were big factors in keeping Cortown in contention when they threatened to fade out of that engrossing encounter with Ballinlough. Target practice is sure to have been high on the agenda at Cortown training sessions over the past week or so. They kicked some bad wides against Ballinlough, a luxury they can ill afford on Sunday. The Cortown defence is difficult to break down and their backs will need to be their best to restrict a St Ultan"s attack that proved difficult to contain in their semi-final win over Gaeil Colmcille. When the ball is played fast into the forwards, St Ultan"s have the players with the required pace and scoring ability to reap a rich harvest with Eugene Brady emerging as their main threat against Gaeil Colmcille. Brian Galligan and Kevin Rogers are others who cause big prombles for opposition backlines. St Ultan"s looked to have the required artillery to inflict significant damage. The big test for them is to get the ball past Loughran, John Fagan & Co in midfield. St Ultan"s may just have enough to shade it in what promises to be a very tense and close local derby.