Inside Track: Louth end league with a best-ever Division Two points tally

Let’s first take a look at Louth’s league campaign, and after that, Sunday’s win over Kildare. Seven matches, five wins and ten points, the best return the team has had since moving up to Division Two, in 2022.

It wasn’t good enough to win promotion – Meath and Cork did better, and even had Louth finished alongside the Royals and Rebels, the outcome would have been no different with the head-to-head rule kicking in. Louth had been beaten by both.

That, however, takes nothing from what’s been the best league campaign the county has had in almost 20 years. Maybe even further back, when you take into consideration the number of injuries there’s been since the first match with Offaly, back in late January.

Injury woes reached their height leading up to the Derry match, last Saturday fortnight. Five regulars were ruled out that day, and they were again looking on from the stand on Sunday. Enough for manager Gavin Devlin to contend with, but more grief was to follow.

Emmet Carolan and Dermot Campbell, hugely consistent throughout the competition, shipped injuries in the first quarter of Sunday match and had to be replaced.

Read also: "It's nice to finish on a win" - Louth captain Mulroy reflects on Kildare victory

But as happened so often this season, those who were called in knew what they had to do and did it well. If ever there was a collective, the past number of weeks fully demonstrated it, each member of the panel proving himself as valuable as the next.

But there has to be a leader, and in Sam Mulroy, Louth have one in a million. His qualities, however, go further than just taking the team onto the field and going up for the toss. And after that, giving on-field instructions to those around him.

The scores the team captain claimed on Sunday from placed kicks and play were beauties, none better than the point he knocked over from a 45 metre free just yards shy of the sideline.

Add to that the way he dictated play from as far back as his own goals, and also the magnificent block he got on a shot on goals, which had it gone in would have brought Kildare right back into it.

And as happened quite often in other matches, Mulroy was the target from some sneaky play, jersey-pulling and the like, when he wasn’t even involved in the play.

The one regret Louth will have is not seeing out the game with Meath. The Croke Park outing came after the win over Offaly and the heavy defeat to Cork at Drogheda. With just two points from a possible six, there were a lot of backward glances going into the Meath match.

If prospects were poor before throw-in, they were non-existent at the break, with Meath 11 points clear. But Louth were a different team in the second half, chipping away at the lead, and then with the games in its final throes, going a point clear.

The clock had moved past the 69th minute when Jack Flynn chanced his luck from outside the arc. The Meath winger couldn’t have asked for a better payday.

After that, Louth went on a roll, beating everything Ulster counties could throw at them. Tyrone and Derry failed like many teams before them on their visit to Ardee, and in between, Cavan were made look very ordinary at Breffni. On Sunday, Kildare were the fifth and last to be halted at the red roadblock.
Ulster will have an even bigger representation vying for Division Two honours next season, Tyrone, Derry, Monaghan, Down and Cavan. And joining this quintet, along with Louth, will be Dublin and Wexford.

KILDARE NEEDED THE POINTS TO AVOID RELEGATION
It could be said Kildare had more to play for on Sunday. They were, in fact, fighting to stave off relegation and had a big St Conleth’s crowd to help them along the way.
Supporters would have been happy with their team’s start, 0-4 to 0-1 to the good after ten minutes. Louth got back on terms, and after that it was nip and tuck until Sam Mulroy scored a magnificent two-pointer, making it 0-13 to 0-9.
And the Naomh Máirtín clubman came in with another one later on, putting his side further ahead, 0-17 to 0-9.
The second half had an opening like the first one, Kildare kicking six unanswered points and once again giving followers the chance to clear their throats. Mulroy hadn’t gone away, however, the No 11 once again putting his name on a two-pointer.
Any chance of a Kildare victory was more or less wiped out in the 54th when Kieran McArdle collected on the edge of the square, gave his marker the slip, the neatest of sidesteps before beating Cian Burke with a stinging shot.
There was lots to admire about this Louth performance, aside from Mulroy’s contribution. As busy as the proverbial bee, Ciarán Keenan showed us he’s as capable as the next at putting the ball over the bar. He did it four times, three of his points fisted efforts.
But the St Mary’s player was just one of many to excel. There were, in fact, no weak links, all which makes you wonder how difficult it’s going to be for Gavin Devlin and colleagues when they gather to name their team for the first round championship tie with Wexford, coming up on April 19th.
It can be expected that some, if not all, of those on the easy-list, will be available. Along with all of those on call over for the last couple of league matches, they’ll contribute to a very formidable panel, singing from a hymn sheet beautifully scripted by Gavin Devlin.
The Tyrone man can be pleased with his first campaign as a county team manager.