GAA | Gillespie looks back at the turning point in Louth’s season

Attacker is one of six St Mary’s players in the Wee County panel

After three league defeats on the spin, few would have predicted that Louth would fill one of the spots in this Sunday’s Leinster final.

However, championship victories over Laois, Offaly and Wexford mean the Wee County have built up a head of steam just at the right time.

Key to their victory over Wexford was a brace of goals from Conor Gillespie, one of six Ardee St Mary’s members on the panel.

Gillespie spoke to Dundalk Sport ahead of the final with Dublin and he feels that the hard-fought win over Laois in round one was the moment Louth’s season started to roll.

“After the three league defeats the mood in the camp wasn’t great but the championship has been a huge lift,’ he said.

“The Laois game was the turning point. Those extra few minutes have stood to us and our fitness has propelled us over the line in the latter stages of games.

“If someone had told us after the three league games that we’d be playing in Croke Park this summer against the Dubs we’d have taken it any day of the week. It’s absolutely brilliant.”

Like many of the Louth players, Sunday’s final will be Gillespie’s first time playing on the hallowed turf of HQ but the Mary’s attacker is relishing the opportunity to show what he can do.

“I’ve never played at Croke Park before so it’s a dream come through,” he said. “It’s a privilege and an honour to wear the Louth jersey there and we just can’t wait to get going.

“The mood in the came is very good and we’re just getting on with it now. I know it’s hard to treat it as just another game but we’ve been training since last November for this and we feel we can go all the way.”