For the first time in 15 years, the Leinster football final won’t have Dublin in it. Instead, it’ll be Meath and Louth battling it out on 11 May. Funny enough, the last time these two faced off in a final was back in 2010, when Joe Sheridan’s controversial goal helped Meath snatch a narrow win. Fast forward to now, and under Robbie Brennan’s guidance, Meath pulled off a big shock by knocking out Dessie Farrell’s Dublin side in Sunday’s semi-final at Portlaoise. On The Sunday Game, Enda McGinley shared his thoughts, saying, “Dublin will be disappointed tonight but everyone else in the country will be buzzing and that’s coming from a Tyrone man!” He definitely captured what a lot of people were thinking. McGinley pointed out that Dublin just aren’t the powerhouse they used to be, but still gave Meath credit for how they finished the game at Laois Hire O’Moore Park. Louth’s Trajectory to Glory.
Meath’s Big Moment
McGinley had plenty of praise for Meath’s performance but made it clear that this Dublin team isn’t what it once was. He explained that Dublin have lost key players over the winter, and their performances this year have been all over the place strong at Croke Park but struggling outside of it. That inconsistency seemed to give Meath a real sense of belief. McGinley mentioned how we’ve seen teams rattle Dublin before, but usually, the Dubs would claw their way back and grind out the win. This time, though, it felt different. Even as they watched the game, McGinley and others sensed that this wasn’t the usual Dublin team. Sure enough, Meath came up with the clutch plays when it mattered most.
Louth Looking Strong
Meanwhile, analyst Paul Flynn is pumped for the final and actually thinks Louth might have the edge, even though Meath are coming off a huge win. Louth booked their place in the final by beating Kildare in the other semi-final and seem to be riding a wave of momentum. Flynn reminded everyone that Louth beat Meath last year in the group stage of the championship at Inniskeen. Leaders stepped up again this year, with Craig Lennon bagging two goals last time they met. Flynn says it’s all about handling the big occasion now. For Louth, this will be their third Leinster final in a row super impressive and a real sign of how far they’ve come. But Flynn was clear: there’s no more settling for close calls. It’s all about winning now, and that’s the pressure they’ll have to manage when they hit the field.
