By Andy Spearman
An Lú Abú says Frank
Tomorrow is the biggest sporting day in years for County Louth as the Wee County team face the Dubs in the Leinster Final.
The whole town, indeed the whole County is talking about it and, having done my research in several pubs, its seems that the general consensus is that Louth can shade it if they keep their nerves and play the quality of football that they are capable of.
Immortality awaits the team if they can upset the almighty Dubs but, with the whole county on tenterhooks, the expectation of the fans is is a heavy burden for the tem members to shoulder.
Manager Mickey Harte and his assistant Gavin Devlin have done an amazing job over the past couple of years preparing the team for tomorrow’s clash of the titans and now it is up to the players to prove that they have what it takes to become champions.
Drogheda is not exactly a riot of colour just yet, but perhaps that reflects a nervousness amongst fans about wishing too big.
There can be no doubt though, if we get the result we want, that nervousness will change to utter joy in a heartbeat (or should that be a Hartebeat?) and the town will transform into a sea of red and white.
Talking of colour, there is no more colourful character in Drogheda than former Mayor Frank Godfrey who, despite the fact that he was born in County Meath, is a lifelong Louth supporter.
To say that Frank is getting VERY excited about the match would be a massive understatement. Yesterday he gave Drogheda Life a sneak preview of the outfit he will be wearing tomorrow (see above).
Dressed all in red, right down to his shoes, Frank posed for photos, something he has done a lot of down the years, in front of the iconic Drogheda landmark, St. Laurence’s Gate.
Frank told me of his playing days with various clubs in Drogheda as a boy and the proud moment when he won a division 2 medal in 1970 or 1971 playing with St. Dominics.
On the day that Louth won the All-Ireland final against Cork in 1957, young Frank Godfrey listened to the match on the radio in the house in Crushrod Avenue of Jackie Reynolds who was a sub on the Louth team.
“The Reynolds and the Godfreys were great family friends” Frank said. “We children would play football or cowboys and Indians together.
“There was great craic that time” Frank said. “Jackie Reynold’s mother Molly was a great character. I remember another match against Dublin when a Dublin supporter gave Jackie a slap as he was coming off the field but he came off the worse in the end because Molly gave him a clatter with her umbrella!
“Another Louth player that I idolised was Stephen White, also a member of the 1957 team, who I reckon was the GAA player of the century.
Speaking about the 2010 defeat of Louth by Meath, Frank says that the Royal County men robbed the game when Joe Sheridan threw the ball into the Louth goal in the last minute.
“There was uproar in the day and it has been talked about ever since” Frank said.
“I just hope that tomorrow’s game is remembered but for the right reasons – for Louth winning a famous victory. I personally think they can do it if they can keep their nerves under control.”
