FOUR YEARS ON and Shane Lennon says he’s still asked about it in every interview he does.
In the 2010 Leinster final, a controversial late Meath goal by Joe Sheridan put to bed Louth’s hopes of a first provincial title in 53 years.
Full forward on the Louth team that day was Shane Lennon and despite the huge disappointment at the time, he says that the current Louth team are firmly over the incident.
“Listen, it’s over now. What happened, happened, we’re definitely over it at this stage, there’s no point living in the past.
“I think every interview I do I am asked about 2010. It’s over now.
I know there were accusations there were Louth people out robbing Joe
Sheridan’s (election campaign) signs, but I can assure you it wasn’t any of us,” joked the 28-year-old.
Lennon underwent surgery last year, ruling him out of the entire league campaign, but the desire to replicate the summer of 2010 has brought him back again this year.
“There are probably a gang of us from the 2002/2003 minor teams and actually Rob Kearney was on them squads as well. There were seven or eight of us still on that team still going. It’s hard to believe it’s 10 or 12 years since we were minor.
“The age profile is going down in most squads. It’s a young man’s game now, it definitely is. We just have to look forward and see where that takes us.”
Sunday will be Lennon’s first time playing in Croker since the 2010 season.
Back in 2010 Louth overcame Kildare by 1-22 to 1-16 in the quater final. This year they face the same team at the same stage, but Lennon says he isn’t keen on drawing comparisons.
“Yeah, it’s probably a similar situation to this Sunday. We were playing over in Navan and we were lucky to beat Longford in the first round in Portlaoise. Everything seemed to click for us that day against Kildare.
“It was a great evening and high scoring. I don’t know whether it will be like that on Sunday. It was high scoring again last year. Louth and Kildare like playing open football so it might.
“But it’s great that that squad has kept together. Myself, Paddy, Brian White, John O’Brien. Ronan Carroll is just finished up this year. You need them sort of groups coming through. And the new kind of player coming through too. You need these groups coming through at each level.
“We were just having the craic there. I think Paddy Keenan is the oldest playing on Sunday so we were giving him a bit of guff about that.
Louth overcame Westmeath in the first round of the Leinster championship last month, and despite scoring a point in a solid showing, Lennon has not been named to start this weekend. Regardless of the knock back the big full forward is keenly anticipating his return to Croke park and another opportunity to out-do 2010.
Lennon celebrates with Paddy Keenan after the 2010 semi final. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
"There were accusations Louth people were robbing Joe Sheridan’s signs, it wasn’t any of us"
FOUR YEARS ON and Shane Lennon says he’s still asked about it in every interview he does.
In the 2010 Leinster final, a controversial late Meath goal by Joe Sheridan put to bed Louth’s hopes of a first provincial title in 53 years.
Full forward on the Louth team that day was Shane Lennon and despite the huge disappointment at the time, he says that the current Louth team are firmly over the incident.
“I think every interview I do I am asked about 2010. It’s over now.
I know there were accusations there were Louth people out robbing Joe
Sheridan’s (election campaign) signs, but I can assure you it wasn’t any of us,” joked the 28-year-old.
Lennon underwent surgery last year, ruling him out of the entire league campaign, but the desire to replicate the summer of 2010 has brought him back again this year.
“The age profile is going down in most squads. It’s a young man’s game now, it definitely is. We just have to look forward and see where that takes us.”
Sunday will be Lennon’s first time playing in Croker since the 2010 season.
Back in 2010 Louth overcame Kildare by 1-22 to 1-16 in the quater final. This year they face the same team at the same stage, but Lennon says he isn’t keen on drawing comparisons.
“Yeah, it’s probably a similar situation to this Sunday. We were playing over in Navan and we were lucky to beat Longford in the first round in Portlaoise. Everything seemed to click for us that day against Kildare.
“But it’s great that that squad has kept together. Myself, Paddy, Brian White, John O’Brien. Ronan Carroll is just finished up this year. You need them sort of groups coming through. And the new kind of player coming through too. You need these groups coming through at each level.
Louth overcame Westmeath in the first round of the Leinster championship last month, and despite scoring a point in a solid showing, Lennon has not been named to start this weekend. Regardless of the knock back the big full forward is keenly anticipating his return to Croke park and another opportunity to out-do 2010.
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Championship 2014 Munster SFC GAA rebound Kildare Louth Meath