Meath SFC Final/Wolfe Tones 1-9 Navan O'Mahony's 1-7: Sometimes those wild scenes of celebration that often follow a county final seem a little over the top, but not here. The Meath football championship has an esteemed role of honour going back to 1887 and Wolfe Tones have added their name to that list for the first time.
Yet that was only part of what the celebrations were about. It's only three years since they won the Meath junior title; they promptly followed that with the intermediate title; and now they suddenly find themselves on top of the county's equivalent of Mount Olympus. And to cap it all they beat the county heavyweights Navan O'Mahony's when few expected it.
Although claiming only one title since 1990, O'Mahony's top that role of honour with 16 titles to their name - and they came here strongly fancied to make it 17. Instead they discovered they could not resist the enthusiasm and will to win of Wolfe Tones.
It wasn't a spectacular game of football, but the manner and scale of the Wolfe Tones victory made up for it. In the end it was even closer that it should have been.
Wolfe Tones dominated the first half and much of the second and though O'Mahony's squandered several chances in the closing stages to pull themselves back in contention there was little disputing the result.
The 6,000 attendance were enthralled throughout, and one particular section of Wolfe Tones supporters must surely have lost their voices by the end.
Midway through the second half they were up 1-8 to 0-6 and seemingly poised to win, and yet O'Mahony's closed that gap back to a point, where it lay suspended for 10 nervous minutes, before Alan Fox fired over the security point for Wolfe Tones.
By that stage their best player and ultimate man of the match, Cian Ward, had left the field with a leg injury, but his job for the day - a 1-7 contribution - was done.
Ward wasn't the only difference, but he was a big difference, his free-taking a joy to watch and his goal early in the second half a true stunner.
Having switched ends a point up, Wolfe Tones needed to hold their shape early in the second half to complete the effort of the first, and Ward's goal will be remembered as the defining moment.
Having collected possession close to the goalmouth corner, he had seemingly run out of space, but instead he brilliantly turned the goalkeeper and right-footed his shot clean into the net.
It was the score that gave Wolfe Tones both the belief and just enough momentum to close out the deal.
New Meath manager Colm Coyle was in the stands and will no doubt chase Ward's telephone number.
Ward followed his goal with another free, and that increased the Wolfe Tones advantage to five points. Having played below par up to now O'Mahony's gradually took stock and tore into Wolfe Tones, their best forward, Stephen Bray, leading the way.
Bray's free on 45 minutes turned the momentum their way, and seven minutes later he superbly finished their goal move, which was begun harmlessly enough by full back Cormac Reilly. Kevin Reilly rejoined the towering Mark Ward at midfield and they finally made that advantage count.
The chase for victory was now at top speed, with tempers spilling over in the 54th minute - O'Mahony's wing back Lee Russell getting involved with a Wolfe Tones mentor, and gardaí having to step in to quickly end the scuffle.
When Ward hobbled off - to be replaced by a certain Tommy Dowd - the Wolfe Tones fairytale was in danger of being torn up. It possibly would have been had O'Mahony's got a few more shots on target, but eight second-half wides contributed heavily to their downfall.
"I think we worked harder, got the blocks in, and tackled very hard," said Wolfe Tones manager Tony Kearney - whose team go on to play Louth champions St Joseph's (with the winners of that playing the Dublin champions - assuming that competition is decided in time).
"And over the game I felt midfield cancelled out. I was very worried when Cian Ward had to come off with the injury but thankfully Alan Fox sent over a great winner for us. But we worked very hard for this over the last number of months, and I felt we were very well prepared mentally as well. One of things we did was to go to Longford and get a lesson in mental preparations from Eugene McGee."
The O'Mahony's manager, Mickey Downes, had no excuses.
"It is very disappointing," he said, "because it was a very poor display by us. But we were never allowed to get out of the blocks or play with any fluency. Nothing really went right for us on the day, and we missed too many chances in the end."
Wolfe Tones will find heroes all over the field - from defenders Ciarán McLoughlin, Colin Reilly and Stephen Sheppard to forwards Darren McGrath and David O'Neill, but if they are to have a say in the Leinster championship the obvious hope is that Ward's injury won't be long-term.
WOLFE TONES: D Nolan; R Brady, C McLoughlin, C Reilly; B McGinn, E Harrington, S Sheppard; S Corrigan, G Beggy; A Fox (0-1, a free), D McGrath, N McLoughlin; D O'Neill (0-1), J Tiernan, C Ward (1-7, 0-6 frees, one 45). Subs: T Dowd for Ward (49 mins, inj), A McKeever for Sheppard (61 mins), P Caffrey for Tiernan (63 mins).
NAVAN O'MAHONY'S: M Brennan; C Reilly, K Reilly, N Dunne (capt); S Mac Gabhann, N McKeigue, L Russell; C McGuinness (0-1), M Ward; D Bray, P Smyth (0-1), H Finnegan; S McKeigue, T Loughran, S Bray (1-5, 0-2 frees). Sub: D Moran for S McKeigue (38 mins).
Referee: J Smith (Dunshaughlin).
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