Inside Track: Four Louth wins in a rewarding eight days

When, if ever, did it happen before, four Louth teams winning in the space of eight days? The games in which they were involved weren’t from the Mickey Mouse collection – each had huge value.

When the senior hurlers engaged Fermanagh in the final Division Four league on Sunday they were attempting to maintain an unbeaten run. Promotion had already been secured, but there was a trophy to be won. They collected it with a solid performance.

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Like Trevor Hilliard’s team, the footballers had lots to play for. On the previous Sunday, the seniors engaged Meath, aiming to retain their place in National League’s Division Two. Their win was hard-earned but deserved.

The following Wednesday a highly regarded under-20 side opened their championship account, proving too strong for Longford, at Darver. Then three days after that, the minors were away to Laois, and they, too, got a reward.

It’s all good, supporters hoping there’s better to come. The hurlers are now on to the championship, taking their place in the Nicky Rackard Cup. They’ll be buoyed with what has already been achieved. The double is not beyond them.

The senior footballers make their championship bow the weekend after next, playing either Laois or Wexford. The only unbeaten side of the 32 contesting the league’s four divisions, Wexford got turned over by Limerick in last weekend’s Division Four final, and that was a surprise.

Ger Brennan and his management cohorts will be paying as much attention to the treatment room as the training ground ahead of the quarter-final. A number of players have been engaging the medical people; their availability would strengthen the selectors’ hand.

The under-20s looked good in the defeat of Longford. They needed to be. The visitors stayed in contention until well into the second half.

By then, however, Louth were playing with 14 following the dismissal of defender, Conor MacCriosta. They were still able to piece together an impressive tally. Next game in the league section is away to Wicklow tomorrow night.

The minors, like the seniors and under-20s in their games, were on the screen. For those unable to attend matches, Clubber is a God-send – and for nothing, to those with on the Dodgy Box stroke!

The underage sides’ games were on it, while the excellent TG4 covered the seniors’ game in Inniskeen, and many others before and since at venues throughout the country.

The senior team is the county’s flagship, but looking to the future, it’s important to have underage sides showing promise. The county has probably never been as well organised down the line, with strong management teams.

Gavin Devlin, Mickey Harte’s sidekick in this county and others, is bringing all of his knowledge to the younger set, working in tandem with locals.

He offered to come back here when Harte took off to Offaly – where the Tyrone man has had instant success – and that can only be of a benefit to the county going forward.

At this juncture, with the leagues done and dusted and the championship about to gather force, it can be said with safety that the new rules, introduced at the beginning of this year, have breathed much-needed life into a game that had become a very hard watch, in danger of losing support.

There have been a few tweaks and maybe a few more are needed – like, for instance, the removal two points for a free from beyond the big arc, and a player having to hand the ball to his opponent after committing a foul.

But all else has been beneficial, making the game much more appealing to those looking on. It’s much faster and scores have become more plentiful, and that’s what everyone wants to see.