Brennan’s winning mentality

LOUTH’S emergence into the bright lights of a first Leinster final for the first time in half a century is a remarkable story all in itself, but it is one accompanied by a collection of equally eye-catching individual tales.

Chief among them must be Mark Brennan’s. The Mattock Rangers man first joined the county panel at the end of 2005 and managed a few runs under manager Paddy Carr, before making the breakthrough onto the team under Eamonn McEneaney.

Described at the time as an “inspirational” centre-forward, Brennan won a Division Two league medal in 2006 and featured in the side that took Tyrone to a replay in the All-Ireland qualifiers next year.