Navan men look spot on

Further evidence of Colm O'Rourke's significant influence on the football success of St Patrick's, Navan, came in last month's All-Ireland semi-final.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, the title holders trailed Colaiste Na Sceilge by three points and seemed to be on the way out. O'Rourke decided to send Darren O'Toole from midfield to full forward. A couple of minutes later, St Patrick's had picked up two goals - the first laid on by O'Toole, who then added the second himself.

It was a close call, but the Navan school were back in the All-Ireland final just a year after picking up their first title. That Saturday's opponents are St Jarlath's, Tuam, adds greater incentive to O'Rourke's team.

"To beat St Jarlath's in the football final would be the ultimate," he says, "just like beating Kerry or Dublin in the senior All-Ireland. They have always been the school with the history and the tradition, and that makes it the old against the new."

True, the record of St Jarlath's in the competition is unrivalled. They have won a record 11 titles, and even though it has been 1994 since they won the last, the tradition is still formidable.

Only last year they looked to be on course for another title until St Patrick's stopped them in the semi-final. Last weekend they slipped past St Michael's, Enniskillen, to earn their trip to Croke Park.

But like many teams, O'Rourke's preparations this year have been hit by the foot-and-mouth outbreak. Delays in the competition meant that their semi-final was played five weeks ago. Now many of his players are involved with club and minor competitions.

"Our biggest problem this year has been the wide gap between games, and we have actually done very little since the semi-final. We have also had a lot more scares this season, but I suppose we'll find out on Saturday evening if we are as good a side as last year.

"And I don't know a whole lot about this St Jarlath's team either. We beat them by a couple of points in a challenge game earlier this year, but of course that means nothing. We do have the bit of experience, but we will have to play a lot better than the semi-final."

O'Toole is one of the many highly-rated players back from last year, and Joe Sheridan has been an equally potent scorer when required. With a panel free from injuries and eager for the wide open spaces of Croke Park, the former Meath captain is confident his side can face up to the challenge.

"Last year's success created a huge buzz in the school and there is a knock-on effect. We had any amount of students wanting to get involved this year and that's the same at all age groups. Croke Park also adds a lot to the occasion and encourages a lot more supporters to come along."

For St Jarlath's, who have lost 11 finals as well as winning 11, the tradition alone is enough to make them marginal favourites. A year ago, however, St Patrick's proved that tradition can count for nothing.

St Patrick's, Navan, v St Jarlath's, Tuam, Croke Park, Saturday, 5.0.