Leinster club SFC:After waiting 23 years to win back the Dublin title, the same wait since winning their last Leinster title, St Vincent's must feel their time has come again. Sunday's Leinster final in Mullingar is clearly the biggest game in a long time for the club with one of the most famous traditions in the GAA.
The recent delay due to investigations and various appeals has only added to their incentive, and it's hard to imagine a team more determined to claim the last championships title of 2007.
Yet their desire will clearly be matched by their opponents, Tyrrellspass. Having won their first county title in 1999, they're now looking to become the first ever Westmeath club to win the Leinster title. St Vincent's have three (1973, 1976 and 1984) and although they'll start Sunday's game as favourites, Tyrrellspass are not to be underestimated.
Their manager Pat Flanagan believes they're more than capable of winning the Leinster title. In fact they should have won it last year. Having secured a second county title, they eventually fell to Kildare champions Moorefield in the provincial semi-final, the team who went on to claim the Leinster title, only to lose to Tyrrellspass last week.
"To be honest, I'm not surprised at all we've got this far," says Flanagan.
"I really felt we should have won it last year. We played Moorefield in the semi-final, right after playing three games in the previous three weeks. And tiredness did catch up with us, but I still think the team was good enough to go all the way last year. Getting over Moorefield last year was just a bridge too far.
"We've put back-to-back titles in Westmeath now, and this team is well geared for Leinster championship football, and we have the chance to put it right.
"We also know we're representing Westmeath football, trying to create our own piece of history. Tyrrellspass has a population of 800 people, going up against a mighty Dublin club like St Vincent's. That gives the game a David versus Goliath feel to it."
Flanagan can afford to be a little brazen about Tyrrellspass' chances, as he's somewhat sheltered from the tension surrounding Sunday's game. His ties are with Clara in Offaly, the club he coached to the county title in 2003. Three years ago, Flanagan was approached by Tyrrellspass , and he was happy to take up the offer.
"The team that comes out of Dublin is going to be very tough," he adds, "and St Vincent's are a very good team. They've haven't won the Dublin title in a long time and they will feel this is their year. They have some fine footballers. Like Ger Brennan at centre back, Diarmuid Connolly and Tomás Quinn up front. Up to their county final they scored 8-66, or something like that, so they're well able to score.
"But I reckon we've a strong back line, and if we can hold on to their forwards, and set up our forwards, like Denis Glennon and Martin Flanagan, then we have a good chance. Right now, Denis is best player in Westmeath by a mile, and hopefully he can turn it on again on Sunday.
"We are a well balanced team, some players in their late 20s, and some in their early 20s. And our goalkeeper is only 19. But I think it's mature enough for Leinster football."
The only other Westmeath club to make a Leinster final was The Downs, back in 1973, when they also came up against St Vincent's - and suffered a 6-10 to 2-5 defeat. Flanagan is aware of his team's potential to make amends.
"We're just trying to keep the players calm as possible, trying to treat it as another game of football, but knowing it's the last hurdle for what we want to achieve. We've done that all along, and we're still 15 against 15, and all we can do is look after our performance on the day."
