Inside Track: There’s sure to be a keen eye on club football

Gavin Devlin won’t be in a hurry to name his first Louth panel. The National League doesn’t hit the starting-gate until the end of January, though if calls for the restoration of the O’Byrne Cup are successful, there’ll be inter-county fare before that.

As it was with previous managers, Mickey Harte and Ger Brennan, club championship football is going to come in for scrutiny, Devlin hoping to unearth some new talent, as well as seeing how the established county players are faring out.

READ NEXT: Durnin helps drive Louth GAA Player Development Fund

However, the new Louth boss is committed to his present club, Magherafelt, and is likely to take in all of their matches until their interest in the Derry championship is over.

He has held that post throughout the year, while also filling the dual-role of this county’s underage director of football and part of the minor team management.

The likelihood is there’ll be a scouting role for those he has already named on his senior back-up outfit.

There’s sure to be a special eye on the players who featured on this year’s Leinster Championship-winning under-20 team, although with eleven of that outfit, which followed with an All-Ireland final appearance, eligible for next year, there might be a reluctance to look in that direction.

The only link with Devlin’s backroom team and the one it succeeded is Peter Dooley. The Hunterstown Rovers clubman, who is said to have played a crucial part in keeping it together when a danger arose of the Louth camp becoming fractured during the recent Leinster championship, is assistant manager.

Other important roles are to be played by a couple of All-Ireland-winning footballers. Ronan O’Neill, a member of the Tyrone 2021 side, will take his coaching skills with him, having been involved with the Fermanagh during Kieran Donnelly’s time as manager.

In addition to his All-Ireland win, O’Neill was part of the Ardboe team that won the 2017 Tyrone championship.

All of Paul Hearty’s wins were with Crossmaglen Rangers. He has five All-Irelands and nearly four times than many Armagh championships, wearing the No 1 shirt. He succeeds former Dundalk FC goalkeeper, Steve Williams.

If it’s brought up to the strength of Ger Brennan’s back-up, Gavin Devlin has many more appointments to make.