Louth favourite Eugene Judge - Still going strong One of Louth's greatest ever footballers, Eugene Judge's attacking abilities, whether in the square or on the '40' would have graced any team when he was at his peak. While still playing for Louth and Drogheda club Newtown Blues this year, he has recently been devoting his attention to training Dundalk Club Na Piarsaigh and guiding them to success in the Louth Junior Championship last Sunday week. Eugene's original club, Newtown Blues from Drogheda were knocked out of the Louth Senior Championship in the second round this year, when they were hoping to do much better. "It was a match we could have won but it's best forgotten. We had a disastrous year really". After that the G.A.A. front for the rest of the season looked pretty empty for the Louth star until he got a phone call one day about three months ago from Jack Malone. Jack is a selector with the Na Piarsaigh club, and asked Eugene if he'd like to come along and help himself, Donal McKeown another selector and Kevin Connolly who trained the team. "They're the grassroots of the club and the people who are always there helping the team". The Na Piarsaigh club was only set up just over 10 years ago and they never won anything up until this year but there is still great support for them and no shortage of players. "Anytime I went down, there were about 30 people training and that speaks for itself. Some of the guys eat, drink and sleep G.A.A.". Eugene was surprised and impressed with the quality of football played by Na Piarsaigh and other Junior teams in the Championship especially in the final which his charges won by 2-6 to 10 points, against Glyde Rangers. "It was a tough enough final to win. I was surprised by how physical it was -not dirty-just tough. The football was fairly good as well. It was a close match all the way through but "Na Piarsaigh got control in the last five minutes and deserved to win overall". This, their first win in the Junior Championship, was greeted with predictable joy by the loyal contingent of football supporters as they at last have something to celebrate. Like Derry winning the Sam Maguire, the victory should create new interest in G.A.A. in the club's area and keep football alive and licking. "It's great win for the club and should give them a good lift", says their trainer. "It's like an All-Ireland to them". That final was the fourth match the Dundalk team played in this year's Championship and each one was a major stepping stone along the way, but the decider was the toughest one to win. "I suppose that was the hardest match alright but every Championship match is a hard one. You get fitter as you go along through the season but so do the opposition". At the start of the year Na Piarsaigh wouldn't haves been among the favourites to land the Junior honours but, with Eugene Judge's help, they crept through the campaign and into the final before the other contenders realised what was going on. "They were probably complete outsiders to win the Championship but I went down with the purpose of giving them some ideas along the way and it was a bonus every time we won a match". The fact that a high profile Louth player like Judge was helping them especially with so many young players involved undoubtedly gave them a lift and created a great interest in playing for the team. Now that they've proven themselves to be top dogs in Junior football in the Wee County, the next move for Na Piarsaigh is to make the step up into the Intermediate grade for the 1994 Championship. The question is will they be able to make a similar impact at that level or will they be dropping back down again before long? "I think they can hold their own at Intermediate level if the can produce the players in the juvenile ranks. They will have to try and consolidate themselves and concentrate on that. It's a fair achievement for them already considering that they're only going for 10 years". As for Eugene's own native town? Outside of Louth, Drogheda would probably be perceived as a soccer mad town and it definitely does have a large following. "Football is fairly low in the town. I think the young lads don't seem to be as dedicated as they used to be and maybe that's time for every sport. In G.A.A. Drogheda is a bit behind the rest of the country". The only Senior team in the town at the moment is Newtown Blues, who Eugene has played for all his life. The young Judge first started kicking a ball in the Drogheda street leagues before graduating to club standard where he duly progressed through the ranks, winning a county Minor Championship in 1975 and has played for the Blues at the top level ever since. Eugene's great skills as a forward didn't go unnoticed by intercounty selectors and he played for the Louth Minors for two years, reaching the Leinster Championship semi final on one occasion. Eugene's first Senior outing for the county was in the 1977 -'78 National League against Armagh where he lined out at centre forward and was marked by the Orchard County's Joe Kiernan. "I always remember that match when I look back and it's one of my best memories. It was definitely a big thrill for me". Louth would not be regarded by many as a major power in the football world and it is 36 years since they won either an All-Ireland or a Leinster Senior title and 1960 is the last time that they even appeared in a provincial final. Obviously, Eugene never won a Senior intercounty medal but he feels he was unlucky not to do so as they came close to a breakthrough twice in his time playing for the Wee County. In 1983 they were beaten by Dublin in the Leinster semi final. "We were after winning two Championship matches and dominated against Dublin for 45 minutes but got beaten in the end by 10 points. I was never so disappointed after a match". Dublin would go on to take the All-Ireland title that same year. Three years later, Louth were being trained by Dubliner Mickey Whelan and confidence was high in the county about a breakthrough but unfortunately they were again foiled, this time by Offaly. "We were fierce unlucky. We were leading until the last two or three minutes but they still beat us. We were never as well prepared for a game and I feel that the referee didn't do us justice on that day". The only medals Eugene has won are with his club, most recently of these came in 1988 when Newtown Blues won the Louth Senior Championship for the last time. "We haven't had that much success in the last three or four years. Last year we were beaten by Clann na Gael but we had them on the rack for a while and it was a very good match". The name Judge is synonymous with the Newtown Blues club as many of Eugene's uncles played with them and won Louth Championship medals. Some of them also made the Louth team and Eugene says that the biggest influence on his own career was his father, Jackser Judge. During The 1980's brothers of Eugene also successfully lined out for the Drogheda outfit while his sister Anne McQuillan acts as Secretary of the club. The man who guided Na Piarsaigh to the Louth Junior Championship is still very interested in playing and enjoys it as much as he ever did. Next year he'll still be pulling on the old jersey but if the situation arises, will he be willing to help out with Na Piarsaigh again when they'll be in the Intermediate Ranks. "At the end of the day the Blues are still my club". Although aged 35 now, Eugene still played for Louth in this year's Championship and has been asked to return again next year, an offer which he is considering. Although he expresses great admiration for the Dublin and Kerry teams of the 1970's his favourite player was a Newtown Blues man, Liam Leech who also appeared for Louth and Leinster. "He could play anywhere, had a brilliant football brain and was a wonderful athlete with a tremendous will to win". If Eugene does again play with Louth in the Championship, there's no doubt that he'll have plenty to contribute but it's not much use unless 14 others will do the same and have the same commitment. "Last year we should have beaten Laois and we would have given Meath a better game than they did. "We've got to make a bigger commitment and things will have to change". Warns Eugene. "Fellows can't keep going along and thinking it's going to happen without them making an effort, Leinster more than ever is wide open now". Written by The Hogan Stand Magazine 08/10/93 Tweet

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