Inside Track: Expectations are high for the year ahead

Never before have sports fans from around these parts looked to the year ahead with greater expectation.

Last year was one of unprecedented success, titles that had never come this way before, and others that were only infrequent visitors, finding a resting place.

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But with expectation comes pressure, not on those looking on, but on the people carrying the can. Let’s give them all the space they require to find their feet before readying themselves for an assault on the big prizes.

Louth football teams will be in sharp focus, and up at Oriel, Dundalk FC will, for the first time in two seasons, welcome all of the country’s best teams.

Every one of Kate O’Connor’s outings will attract attention, and the turn of the calendar page should in no way inhibit golfer Caolan Rafferty, whose haul of prizes last year and the year before was impressive.

LOUTH OUT TO DEFEND TITLE

It’s hard to believe that almost eight months have passed since Sam Mulroy was presented with the Delaney Cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand. Maybe that’s because the win over Meath in the Leinster championship final has since then been a major part of the narrative.

Pictures of the trophy’s visits to clubs and events have filled screens and newspaper pages, and just over a week ago, the panel members were presented with their medals.

Before that, Sam Mulroy won his place among the All-Stars, consolation coming Ryan Burns and Craig Lennon’s way with a nomination.

Then, on last Saturday week, there was a richly-deserved additional award for Conall McKeever at the medal presentation, the Clan na Gael clubman voted player-of-the-year. There’s something special about an accolade when it’s the winner’s peers who do the choosing.

And still on celebrations, the Leinster-winning under-20s have their get-together on the 10th of this month. Four of them, Tadhg McDonnell, Pádraig Tinnelly, Sean Callaghan and James Maguire, have already won recognition, chosen on the grade’s 2025 team-of-the-year.

Now comes the challenge of replicating, or bettering, all that happened in 2025. For the seniors, there’s the task of retaining their provincial crown, and before then, arguably the most difficult task, winning promotion to the league’s top division, or even preserving second-tier status.

The league comes first, the opener coming at the end of this month, an away match with newly-promoted Offaly.

There’s quality in the line-up, the Tricolours along with the Ulster trio of Tyrone, Derry and Cavan, Leinster’s Kildare and Meath, and coming up from the south, Cork. Taking points from any of those teams won’t be easy.

Louth have three games to win if they are to retain the Delaney Cup. Wexford are in the other corner for the quarter-final, the winners going on to play Dublin.

Meath are already being tipped to come out of the top half, but are by no means certainties. Kildare and Offaly are sure to be lurking with intent.

Gavin Devlin is in his first year as manager, having taken over from Ger Brennan. The Tyroneman, however, is no stranger to the sideline, nor this county.

He formed a successful partnership with Mickey Harte in his native heath, and it remained intact on their arrival here and on their subsequent shock move to Derry.

Devlin was said to be very popular with the players in his time in charge of training at Darver – there’s no reason to believe it will be different now that he’s taken on a new role.

He has assembled a strong backroom team, which is seen as necessary given how much time and money is being spent by counties in the preparation of teams.

Eleven of the starting Louth under-20 team that went to war in last summer’s All-Ireland final with Tyrone are again available to manager Fergal Reel.

Also, a number of others who got game time in the provincial series. That might augur well, but it does nothing to ease the pressure the team will come under to deliver.

But no-one better than Reel to keep a lid on things. The Silverbridge man been around the block many times in club football, and along the way collected several big prizes.

He’ll attach as much importance to the first match in the championship’s league stage than anything that might come afterwards.

The under-17s, now under the guidance of former senior team manager, Éamonn McEneaney, have a good but success-free 2025 campaign to follow.

Defeats in the Leinster final and All-Ireland quarter-final were by small margins – just one point in the latter – and those who will again be wearing the jersey won’t lack in incentive.

The hurlers will be looking for a second successive promotion and an upgrade in championship status – while the ladies’ team will also be hoping to build on last year’s success, a victory in the junior championship.

Lots to look forward to for all county teams, and unlike other years, they have a wind in their backs.

DUNDALK BACK IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

It’s all change at Oriel Park. The boardroom has different personnel sitting around the table, there’s a spanking new field for the team to trade their wares on, and visiting teams will be different from last season.

There’s a number of carry-overs, however. Chief among them is team manager, Ciarán Kilduff. It was never likely to be different. There was some uncertainty at the end of the last campaign as to the former player’s future at the club.

Suggestions of him being head-hunted by other clubs, Waterford in particular, were rife – and with the ownership of the club once again being a matter for debate, it wasn’t altogether certain he would be back on the line.

But having guided his team to promotion to the Premier League after just one season in the lower division, Kilduff’s decision to remain could have centred on the appeal of playing in a better class of competition and money being available to strengthen the panel.

There can be no doubt the rookie manager got the very best from his panel last season. League points came thick and fast early on, and though there were some sticky patches as the marathon competition unfolded, the top spot was never relinquished. In the end, a wide margin separated first and second.

This year’s challenge will be much sterner. In facing up to it, Kilduff will have new and experienced players to call on, and along with the best of last season’s squad, he should be able to mould a team capable of staying in the top division.

ALL WATCHING TO SEE WHAT KATE DOES NEXT

Talk of experience: Kate O'Connor is gaining in this most vital of commodities with each passing year. Not just in this country, but also on foreign fields. She lined up against past champions, and wasn’t found wanting.

There was pressure then, and there’ll be more to come. No-one better to take it on than the Dundalk lass, aided by her coach and father Michael. They have a full programme mapped out for this season, covering indoor and field.

Staying free of injury, the country’s best female athlete should be able to keep her eyes on her main goal, the Los Angeles Olympics, set for 2028.