Louth captain Sam Mulroy has last laugh after being mocked over bold claim
Sam Mulroy stole the show in the Leinster football championship final on Sunday last, winning the Man of the Match award with a crucial 1-7 tally in the showpiece at Croke Park.
His performance in last Sunday's Leinster SFC final led his Louth side to Delaney Cup glory against Meath for the first time since 1957, and while he is clearly one of the best forwards in the country at present, the contrast in view of his ability was stark in March 2022, when he took to The GAA Social podcast from the BBC.
He said 'All I ever wanted to be was the best in Louth or the best in Ireland', as he lay at the top of the scoring charts throughout the 2022 league. 'I went home and wrote that on my whiteboard in my room and it was 'I am the best forward in Louth'.
"It's there ever since. It hasn't moved. Every day when I wake up it's there and I have a look at it and even now when I wake up and people say, 'You're the best forward in Louth' or 'You're top scorer in Ireland', I know that and I know I am and I've know that the last five years, whether I was or I wasn't.'
He took some pelters for his assuredness in the days following the podcast, however time has come to bear fruit for the 27-year-old, with his leadership in Croker driving his team to glory on a cracking afternoon in Drumcondra.
While he did miss some efforts some efforts early in the second half, he led by example and proved he can walk the walk on Sunday, with his deep 2-pointer late in the match putting the Wee County back in front in the dying embers of the clash.
Undoubtedly there was delight in Louth when his kick sailed over to help exorcise the demons of the 2010 final against the Royal County which ended in heartbreak.
His Louth side face Clare, Down and Monaghan in Group 3 of the All-Ireland round robin, where they will need to remain vigilant to secure passage to the knockout stages.
He also went on to say on The GAA Social that 'I believed five years ago I was the best forward in Louth, I know now I am.'
Is it a stretch to say he could be the best forward in the province on form going into the All-Ireland series?
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