After a weekend of mixed fortunes a fortnight ago, Louth full-back Declan Byrne is looking forward to a double-header that will define Louth's season at senior and under-21 level.
It's amazing how much difference a day can make as Byrne was instrumental in the under-21 team that dismantled Wexford in the Leinster Under-21 Championship in Dowdallshill just less than two weeks ago.
Just 24 hours later at the same ground, h
e played 45 minutes in the senior squad's O'Byrne Cup final defeat.
On Saturday, he was again included in the senior panel where he again played 45 minutes in a dominating win over Dublin in a challenge match, but next week he knows it will be very different.
He said: "It was a good run out. It was a nice weekend away. It's not ideal having a game the week before an under-21 championship game but it's something we had to do and it was a good run out for everyone."
With pivotal clashes this week against Dublin in the next stage of the Under-21 championship and then a Division 3 League match with Cavan the next day for the senior panel, Byrne is looking for a double victory this weekend, starting with the all important game against Dublin.
"I would swap today's result for one next week. Next week is a different story.
"It's championship football, it's Dublin and you always know what Dublin are going to bring out, but we will get stuck into them from the start and see how it goes."
Louth's forward line was devastating against Dublin, something Byrne puts down to competition for places.
"They're all moving well the forward line, they've been moving well in training and there is great competition for places so it is not going to be easy to pick the team for the Cavan game but the most important thing right now for some of the lads is the under-21 game next Saturday.
"Last week, it was a weekend of mixed results for myself, but we will push on next week and try to get two wins."
gary@dundalkdemocrat.ie
