Gerry Robinson reflects on how Dundalk Schools made history by capturing the 2002 Coca Cola Leinster Senior Colleges Football 'A' Championship. St Patrick's Day celebrations took on a whole new meaning in the Wee County in 2002 as Dundalk Schools marked the national holiday by capturing the Leinster Senior Colleges football title by virtue of a 1-8 to 2-3 defeat of competition specialists St Pats of Navan. Victory in the decider not only ended Navan's unbeaten three-year run but capped an extraordinary campaign for the Dundalk lads who qualified for the Paddy's Day showdown with an excellent 3-10 to 2-7 semi-final win over St Peter's of Wexford at Newbridge. Two-thousand-and two was only the second year the four schools in the north county town (De La Salle, St Mary's, Colaiste Ris and Dundalk Grammar) combined for the intercounty competition and they more than justified their existence with a magnificent campaign. Taking provincial gold was a remarkable achievement for a team that had only competed in the competition for the first time the previous year when the new team was formed in a bid to raise the standard of underage football in a county that hadn't won a Leinster minor championship match since beating Laois in 1993. The Dundalk combo qualified for the provincial final in exemplary fashion, blazing a trail through Leinster without fear of reputations or failure. In the first round they accounted for Dublin Irish college Colaiste Eoin. The game took place in the Dundalk Gaels field and the home team were full value for their 2-10 to 0-6 win. St Mary's college pair Nigel Shevlin and John Doyle were outstanding at centrefield while Colaiste Ris star Shane Lennon delivered both Dundalk goals. A week later, Dundalk Schools returned to the same venue for a meeting with Westmeath team St Mary's of Rochfortbridge . . . managed by none other than Westmeath senior team manager Luke Dempsey. The match took place in terrible conditions and the Louth representatives advanced thanks largely to two excellent match-winning saves from goalkeeper Neil Gallagher. The team took to the road for the first time when they travelled to Newbridge to face Good Counsel, New Ross in the Leinster quarter-final. St Conleth's Park was unplayable so the game was switched to Patrician College, which was equally unplayable! But the show had to go on and John Doyle was the hero of the day, kicking the winning point. The semi-final also took place in Newbridge (this time on the county pitch), against St Peter's of Wexford. Dundalk Schools won with a superb first half performance that saw Shane Lennon (who finished the hour with 2-4 to his credit) and Sean Fee score 3-3 between them to give the Louth team a commanding 3-5 to 0-3 interval lead. St Peter's went for broke in the second half but - despite recovering to within six points - were never quite able to get back into contention. All in all, it was an outstanding display from the Dundalk amalgamation who subsequently had no fear of their illustrious Colm O'Rourke-trained opponents in the provincial decider. The Leinster final against St Patrick's Classical School, Navan took place at the County Grounds in Drogheda, with a 3.30 throw-in, on St Patrick's Day. It was a poignant occasion for Dundalk Schools manager Leslie Toal, the man who had also steered Stefan White-inspired Dundalk CBS to the Leinster title in 1985. Dundalk went into the game as underdogs. But this crop of players wasn't going to let a small matter like that compromise their chances of glory! They were asked to dig deep in the final when staring defeat square in the face and did so in admirable spirit to etch out a most creditable victory. That Dundalk deserved to win the final is beyond question. They scored nine times while their opponents could only raise a paltry total of five flags. They recovered splendidly from the potentially crippling concession of two goals in three minutes towards the end of the first half and limited their more celebrated opposition to a single point in the second half-hour. Shane Lennon got the underdogs off to the perfect start with a converted free inside the opening minute and added two more points to leave his side leading by 0-3 to 0-2 with two minutes left in the first half. But the Navan side struck two majors before the short whistle to steal a four-point lead at the break, 2-2 to 0-4, Dundalk's fourth point an injury-time effort from centerfielder Paddy Keenan. But Leslie Toal's charges kept their composure and, on the resumption, gradually chipped away at the deficit. Two Lennon points and another from corner back Conor Sheridan brought them within a point ten minutes into the second period. The Dundalk followers went wild with delirium in the 44th minute when the Pats 'keeper was unable to deal with a high JJ Quigley delivery and fumbled the wet, slippery sphere to the back of the net. Dundalk Schools had registered 1-4 without reply and, amazingly, now led by two points, 1-7 to 2-2. As the pressure grew, Pats pulled a point back through goalscorer Tolan 13 minutes from time. A frantic scoreless spell ensued as the tension reached fever-pitch, but it was the gallant boys from Dundalk who had the last say when substitute John Molloy fired an injury-time insurance point. Victory was never more merited. Dundalk Schools' performance was top-heavy on grit, determination, resolve and abundant skill. And let us not forget that the team they beat - the hottest of hot favourites - was gunning for a third successive All-Ireland title! That kind of statistic places this remarkable achievement firmly in context. The winners had played against a strong breeze in the first half and appeared on course for a more-than-satisfactory midway result until those two defensive errors gave Navan the goals their play hadn't deserved. A lesser team would have buckled under the strain of such setbacks but Dundalk emerged for the second half full of confidence and conviction and duly made history. Sixteen-year-old Shane Lennon was the star of the attack with five points but, in truth, Dundalk Schools had star performers all over the pitch. In defence, captain Paul Malone had an outstanding game as did the half back line of Colm Hoey, Ronan Carroll and Paidi Hearty. Corner back Conor Sheridan had an excellent second half and even managed to chip in with a precious point. Following his team's defeat in the final, the legendary Colm O'Rourke had nothing but praise for the new champions. And he urged Dundalk Schools' conquering heroes to go on and claim the All-Ireland title. In an emotional rallying cry to the province's new Colleges kings, O'Rourke said: "You won playing good football. We have no complaints, you were the better team and we salute you as champions. We've had our days, it's your turn now, enjoy it. "It is one of the greatest things that anybody can do to win a colleges final at Leinster level, but this is only part of the way lads. It is a great voyage that you are on . . . lads, the thing now is to go on and win the All-Ireland. "For the next ten or fifteen years you will play with your clubs, but this is the one chance you get with the college. Colleges football is the best type of football - it's only there for one year, you took your chance and the very best of luck to you." Unfortunately, the All-Ireland dream died when - at Clones on Sunday April 14th - Dundalk Schools lost out to the vastly more experienced Ulster champions St Michael's (Enniskillen). The 1-14 to 0-11 defeat brought the curtain down on a remarkable odyssey that was certainly one of the highlights of the GAA year in Louth. Dundalk Schools, 2002 Coca Cola Leinster Senior Colleges Football 'A' Champions: Neil Gallagher; Nicholas Smyth, Paul Malone, Conor Sheridan (0-1); Colm Hoey, Ronan Carroll, Paidi Hearty; John Doyle, Paddy Keenan (0-1); Nigel Shevlin, JJ Quigley (1-1), Simon Kelly; Shane Lennon (0-5), Donal O'Connor, Sean Fee. Subs: David Macken (half time), John Molloy (42, 0-1). Tweet

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