FOR THE DOWNS, it’s important for the players that there’s very little talk locally of 1972 – the last year that the Westmeath club reached a Leinster final.
Centre-forward Niall Mitchell notes that there is often a tendency to put too much emphasis on the past when discussing The Downs within the county, but that hasn’t been the case recently.
Their supporters are doing their bit to help create such an environment, giving the team their space and “keeping us grounded”. Crowds have been quiet at their training sessions and there’s minimal fuss around the group ahead of their biggest day out in 50 years.
Kilmacud Crokes are a seasoned outfit on the senior club football scene. They’re back-to-back champions in Dublin, 2021 All-Ireland finalists, and possess one of the best forwards in the game — Shane Walsh.
The Downs, who won their first county title since 2005 this year, don’t share those credentials. Mitchell appreciates what lies on the other side of the white lines, but he’s equally aware of the power that’s in his own squad.
“I think they’re hot favourites and deservedly so,” says Mitchell of their opponents Kilmacud Crokes.
“They have super players, match-winners all over the field. Inter-county players. They’re probably that bit ahead of us regards age. Their average is probably 26/27 so they’re that bit ahead of us in terms of their age profile being in their prime. Of course they’re going to be favourites, but we’re confident too.
“I would like to think we didn’t really perform fully to our capabilities against Ratoath [in the semi-final]. We played well in patches, 10 and 15 minutes here and there. I think if we can get an all-round performance we can cause an upset.”
For the majority of the GAA season, hurling is Mitchell’s first sport. He has always played football coming up through the ranks, but at around the minor grade, he opted to put the small ball first with his club Clonkill and the Westmeath hurlers.
“We had some successful years with the underage with Westmeath and we had some great results at minor and U21,” says Mitchell taking up the story.
“In Westmeath, there’s not a huge amount of hurlers coming through. There might be one or two from minor or U21 called in. There was a group of us who were called into the senior team and from there on in, I concentrated on hurling.
“We were improving and Michael Ryan came on board that year that I came onto the panel and added a huge amount to it. Ever since then, I’ve been solely committed to hurling.”
As a result of his hectic schedule, Mitchell’s time with The Downs is quite short each year, sometimes for no more than “two or three months”. His circumstances changed slightly this season as Clonkill were knocked out of the hurling championship early this year, freeing him up for his football associates.
“It’s a different game strength and conditioning-wise as well,” he says. “We’ve been lucky this year, I suppose we had a big gap.
“We were able to go with football and brush up on skills a bit more while previously, it would have been a week or two and you’re into championship.
“You’d barely remember the rules of football!”
The dual player existence is almost unmanageable at inter-county level, but Mitchell would still like to play football for Westmeath in the future. He’s even received some communication from recently-appointed manager Dessie Dolan about a possible switch in codes, but Mitchell has no immediate plans to make a change.
“We had a chat but it was brief enough. I had kind of made my decision before he texted me.
“I want to play the best teams in whatever sport it is. If we weren’t in the Leinster championship, Division 1, maybe my decision might change then.
“But it would be silly to leave the hurling at a really important time for them. A time where we can progress.
“I sound like Roy Keane the way I go on but loyalty is a big thing for me.
“I think now, at 25, to transition over to football and leave the hurling wouldn’t be good for my own career and definitely not good for the team.
“I’d love to play for Westmeath footballers for a year or two down the line, just not at the minute.”
Niall Mitchell was speaking ahead of the 2022 AIB Leinster GAA Football Senior Club Championship Final on Sunday, 4 December at Croke Park. The AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships features some of #TheToughest players from communities all across Ireland.
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Great win today and it’s great. But talk of dominating is crazy. You are only as good as your last game and it’s hard to keep it going like Kilkenny did.
@Decko49: think you weren’t watching the same game as the rest of us. Obviously no team are unbeatable but this team is special. There’s a few more big days ahead for this bunch of lads. Brilliant modest approach but with a ruthless steely streak that is obviously only comparable to the other great teams of the modern era and the recent past which realistically are only KK and the Dublin football team. Hon the Treaty! Heady times
@Ado Smith: Yes I was watching and I’m a huge Limerick fan. But talk of domination like Kilkenny is in my opinion too early. We need to win a few more to dominate like them. Yes we are young and very talented but it’s very very tough to repeat it every year like that legendary Kilkenny team. But Ado I do hope you’re right. Hon the Treaty is right mind you. Today was a top class performance I might add too.
@Ado Smith: so this limerick team have a ruthless streak only comparable to kilkenny and Dublin. What planet are you living on. Fantastic team but they are not the only team to win 2 all Ireland’s so get a grip. A thousand miles from that kilkenny team and a million miles from the Dublin team. I have no allegiance to any top hurling team but your talking through your hat here
@Decko49: time to split Limerick up
@Ado Smith: Great days for Limerick no doubt but it’s wide open again next year. Limerick will be favourites but plenty teams will fancy their chances of beating them. Talk of comparisons with Dublin and Kilkenny is wildly premature. Yet!
@WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: when you have the majority of the pundits with many ex KK players or other county former stars making the same comparison as what most fair minded followers of the game are thinking I’m pretty sure I’m on the correct planet. Uranus seems to be yours!
@M: so when a team goes unbeaten for the season for the 1st time since 1961, wins 7 out of the last 9 titles that were available to them, that was supposed to be playing way below form but still beat all before them convincingly, with 2 guaranteed starters to come back fresh and further drive unreal competition to get on the squad let alone the match day panel or team, with Limerick underage producing quality teams on a regular basis for the last few years, I think it’s plain to see barring some major injury scares to 4 or 5 leading players that this team is only starting out really! With this group of young fellas it’s gonna take years for the rest to come close.
Calm down Kevin, they’re nowhere near the standards that Kilkenny set (and that’s through the gritted teeth of a Galwayman). They were the flick of a hurl from losing the semifinal this year as well. Waterford are Waterford, a team that will give any team a game on their day, but as much as I wanted the underdogs to win today unable to bring it consistently and especially on the big occasions…
@Sea__Point: lemons come to mind .
@Sea__Point: Think KK were lucky not to lose to Tipp and Galway on more than one occasion. Even the 2014 Limerick team nearly rattled KK with only a flick of a ball the difference. That didn’t stop them being rated the GOAT now did it! Just try and enjoy this team that hasn’t even peaked yet. The chasing pack have a shed load of catching up to do. No one is unbeatable but neither were the other great teams that played the game at the absolute highest level.
@Sea__Point: that kilkenny team
Would have been given a fair old game by this Limerick team.,kilkenny played a different game. Limerick would have run them off their feet .
I’m not saying they are better but certainly wouldn’t have been the level of cannon fodder that was put up to them .
Good chance to win 2 from 3 in the next few years .
@Sea__Point: spot on . Fantastic team but this talk of being amongst the greatest. How are they any different from the cork team of around 2005 or the tipp team of the last few years let alone the kilkenny team
@Dermot Foley: that Kilkenny team with advances since then in fitness and nutrition at their peak would have still been too much for this Limerick team. Measuring this Limerick team with a county that has consistently held up it’s standards to be in 15/20 finals since the millennium and won eleven is laughable. Congrats to Limerick they have been the best team this year again…
@WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: they have just one back to back munsters and league titles and won two all Ireland’s in three years and gone through the entire season unbeaten. They are an exceptional team without doubt and without debate, they don’t too guff, bluff or comparisons they just live in the moment. They are moulded in the personality of their manager John Kiely and are humble and understated but also ruthless and determined and play a game plan that doesn’t forgive error with absolute confidence and skill.
@Ado Smith: Ifs and buts chief
@ℝ: correction! best team for the last 3 yrs in case you missed it! Enjoy the next 3 if not more
@Barry Dowling: no ifs or buts Tonto! Just plain facts. Time to enjoy the ride mate
@Ado Smith: no team warrant the greatness term after only three years, if they had absolutely dominated every team they met and won all three All Irelands you could say they were well on the way. National Leagues mean very little (you won’t hear the Dubs or Kerry in football, or Kilkenny, Tipp or Cork bang on about winning x number of leagues). Liam Mccarthy is where it’s at in Hurling and this Limerick side has a long way to go to be remembered as one of the great sides. They’re a great Limerick side, just not one of the great sides (yet)…
@Ado Smith: in case you missed it they were not the best team last year. This year most certainly last year.. no
@Michael McGrath: that’s generally not the view of anyone outside of Tipp. Tipp along way off this time now. They proved that last yr too!
@Tricksy: Bitter Lemons maybe ?
@Ado Smith: Don’t think you understand the concept of “plain facts” Chief
@Ado Smith: They were the most consistent team in the Championship last year won 7 of their 8 matches and beat every serious contender . Limerick lost 3 including one to Tipp and its not the view of everyone outside Tipp, it is the view inside Limerick. I’m not getting into a debate about it Limerick are the best team this year no doubt but its really annoying to hear this b.s that yesterday should have been Limericks 3 in a row. Yes I agree Tipp were off the pace this year but they most certainly were not last year as was borne out.
@ℝ: Stick to the rugby analysis.
Limerick worked harder and Waterford didn’t get a handy score all all day. Limerick the fittest team in the country by a mile, well done to them.
@Conor Pocock: ju want sauce on your burger kiiid
@John kane: I’m a Dub. You don’t put sauce on batter burgers
Only a team who can score goals can beat Limerick and both tipp and kk have ageing teams . Not sure who can stop them . Its perfect timing for Limerick.
Surely it’s time to divide limerick in 2. Limerick North n Limerick south
@Pat Buckley: there’d be some craic in that game, let’s start with the south…Quaid, Finn, English, Costello, O’Loughlin, Reidy, Mulcahy, Hanley, Hennessy…do we get Doon and the Liberties?
@Pat Buckley: You will have to be more specific. South and East v city and West is it?
@Donal Hogan: you are such a sad sad excuse for a man… feel bad for you.
Well done to Limerick. They have hurling talent and coaching talent. Cork also have hurling talent but the coaching talent for both hurling and Gaelic are a disgrace. Worse again, none of the coaches offered to resign after the Munster defeats. I wish we had coaches from Limerick, Kilkenny, Waterford or Galway. The Cork scene is too inbred and holds no hope for existing and upcoming talent.
@Mike Kennedy: Well said Mike.
Gwan the Treaty!!!
This is getting ridiculous
Time to split Limerick in two
Still whinging. Will you stop
@Donal Hogan: it’s the Waterford fellas he hurled the sh!te outa today that this comments page was provided for. Gwan with yourself there
@Donal Hogan: get over it your honour
Luimneach Abu
@Mike Kennedy: Bitterness and jealousy is alive and kicking tonight
@Decko49: there’s always a few Decko.
That is some hurling team. Incredible athleticism, speed and fitness as well as skill. They look unbeatable on that form. And, the age profile suggests that they’ll be around for a while. They may well do a Kilkenny.
Great team, just a pity about their nasty streak
@Marty H: Haha. Bitterness is alive and kicking here. How are those lemons kid??
@Decko49: no bitterness whatsoever kid, just the truth
@Marty H: Back it up with facts kid
@Decko49: watch the games’kid’
@Marty H: I did kid. Now where are these facts?
A serious team no doubt, and on current form they will definitely be the team to beat over the next few years. Any team can be beaten on any given day, but there is no other team currently at their level, their closest game all year was the All Ireland semi against Galway, although to be honest Limerick made hard work of that.
@Donal Hogan: good man