Inside Track: Louth’s recent win the first over Derry in 43 years

It’s becoming a bit of a habit, Louth teams closing gaps. And by that, we mean putting an end to long losing sequences.

Over the past couple of years, championships have been regained, finals have been reached, and teams that had a kibosh on the Wee County for years being nailed.

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Prior to last Saturday fortnight, Louth hadn’t beaten Derry in a match of consequence since 1983.

Each of the five meetings since then, all of them in the league and played at a variety of venues, went the Oak Leaf’s way, with some of them carrying lopsided scorelines.

Like the 1985 Dowdallshill encounter, 1-13 to 0-7; Celtic Park, in 2007, 3-18 to 1-12, and before that, in 2004, at another Derry venue, 0-21 to 1-7.

There may have been a straw in the wind when, during Mickey Harte’s time in charge, Louth held the Conor Glass-led team to a goal, the game taking place at Páirc Mhuire, which, as subsequent results have shown, was an inspired Harte choice of venue.

Louth, at the time coached by Jimmy Mulroy with the assistance of Leslie Toal and Frank Clarke, were on a roll in the 1983/’84 league when they played Derry in Swatragh.

There’d been a win over Tyrone in the opening round, and after the defeat of Derry, Dermot Earley’s Roscommon were taken care of, this match also going ahead at St Brigid’s Park.

The following trip to Crossmolina ended in a one-point loss to Mayo, but with lowly Wexford coming up to Dowdallshill for a round five match, it would, most thought, be back on the bike.

Séamus Fitzhenry, playing on the forty for the visitors, had other ideas. The Strawberry-picker had an outstanding outing, leading his side to a shock, but deserved, win.

The Louth freefall continued after that, games with Cavan and Galway ending in defeat. When the following year’s league came along, it was still Division Two stuff.

There’s a link between the team that beat Derry 43 years ago and the one that closed the gap last Saturday week. Right full-back all those years ago was Paddy Matthews, whose son, Paul, is having his best season right now.

The ’83 team: Gerry Farrell (Cooley Kickhams); Paddy Matthews (Oliver Plunkets), Matt McDermott (St Fechin’s), Barry O’Brien (Seán O’Mahonys); Dessie Callaghan (Newtown Blues), Aidan Wiseman Clan Gael), Mickey McCabe (Young Irelands); Eugene Judge (Newtown Blues), Pat Mulligan (St Joseph’s); Frank Brannigan (St Fechin’s), Peter Fitzpatrick (Clan Gael), Noel Cluskey (Seán McDermott’s); Jim McDonnell (Geraldines), Paul Renaghan (Geraldines), Johnny McDonnell (St Fechin’s). Davy McDonnell (Dundalk Gaels) came in as a reserve.
Jim McDonnell scored 1-3 in the 1-9 to 0-8 win.