Louth SFC Preview 2024

While last weekend served up the opening round of the Intermediate Football Championship, attention will turn slightly to this year’s Senior Championship this week, with the race for Joe Ward getting under way this weekend.

Starting us off on Sunday is the clash between last year’s beaten finalists Naomh Martin and Cooley Kickhams who will face off at 2pm in Dowdallshill.

The Martins who were beaten narrowly in last year’s decider, will aim to go one better this time around, and with the return of key players from their travels, including John Clutterbuck, Conor Morgan and Eoghan Callaghan, you would find it hard to bet against Declan McCoy’s side going close again, as they aim to regain the Joe Ward Cup for the first time since 2021.

Standing in their way in this group are this weekend’s opponents Cooley Kickhams. Managed by Brian Rafferty, last year’s quarter finalists are also coached by former Down players Mark Poland and Ambrose Rogers and will enter this championship group as slight underdogs at they face two sides fancied to challenge Ardee St Marys’ bid for three in a row.

However, Cooley are always capable of causing teams headaches, with quality forwards like Michael Rafferty, Cian Connor and Enda O’Neill, backed by key team captain Gerry Malone, Peter Thornton, Paul Brennan and others.

Kickhams reached the top 6 of the Division 1 league this year, and are capable of a producing a big result. Write them off at your peril.

Waiting in the wings for the winners of this opening round clash are St Mochtas. Managed by Down native Stephen Poacher, the Louth Village side reached their second consecutive Division one league final this year, and with key names like the Byrne brothers Declan and Ciaran, as well as Andrew English, Philp Englishby, Ben Goss Kieran and Oisin Callan, alongside the soon to return Craig Lennon, who lit up the inter county scene with his performances for Louth this year, the Mochtas seem in fine fettle for another championship run. Craig’s brother Shane is another player to watch out for, part of another influx of youth that the Mochtas can boast, who are fancied to progress alongside the Jocks from this group.

The second senior clash on Sunday will see St Josephs take on last year’s Intermediate winners Roche Emmets in Haggardstown at 4.30pm in Group 4.

There is a strong case to be made for calling this a group of death, with seemingly little to separate either side as well as the other team from this group St Fechins.

With the Joes still hopeful for a promotion push out of Division 2 this year despite losing out to Hunterstown Rovers recently, as well as Roche and St Fechins scrapping to avoid that relegation play off spot, you could be proved right.

Roche Emmets have been eager to build on that trophy laden 2023, which saw them win the Intermediate Championship and gain promotion to Division 1 via a play off. Managed by Jamie O’Hare, the Rathduff side boast talented forwards like the ever-reliable Barry O’Hare, to go with Louth under 20 panellist DD Reilly alongside brothers Mark and Shane Byrne.

Captained by Glen Stewart at midfield, teenager Ryan Rice-Martin has also shown promising signs in the league campaign this year,

Despite their low return in the scoring stakes in the league this year, Roche still look a decent bet to avoid that relegation play off in the league and progress from this group, which would cap off a successful first senior campaign since 2006 for Emmets.

Facing Roche on Sunday will be St Josephs. Managed by Down native Tom Franklin, the Joes will be aiming to put recent league disappointment behind them.

However, with an influx of young talent, including Louth under 20 players Adam Cassidy, Cormac McKeown and Pearse Grimes-Murphy who has sparkled in this year’s league campaign, many will feel the Joes have the attacking talent to prevail, which is backed by Conall McCaul, Oisin McGuinness, as well as the experience of Conall Smyth and Alan Quigley.

The winners of this contest in Haggardstown will face St Fechins the following week. The Termonfeckin side are managed by Mattie Rice, who guided the Beaulieu’s hurling side to senior championship success in 2021.

Having played most of their league matches without key county players Niall McDonnell, Bevan Duffy and Paul Matthews, it can be difficult to judge the Drogheda side on their league results alone.

In fact, it would be quite foolish to do so. Alongside that trio, players like Ryan Walsh have the talent to light up this championship, and Niall Devlin can also produce that moment of class in the final third, while team captain Jamie McDonnell holds a strong half back line together including Wexford native Robert Vallejo and Aaron McGlew, another player who impressed in Louth’s run to the Leinster under 20 decider earlier this year, while defender Ciaran McGinty has also impressed in his debut season in adult football.

This is a group which looks so difficult to call, with the margins seemingly so tight between them.

The penultimate senior championship match of the weekend will see the Dreadnots face St Brides in Castlebellingham at 6.30pm on Sunday evening.

While they may have finished in the bottom six of the league, the Dreadnots once again managed by Wayne McKeever will be hopeful of another long run into this championship if they win this group, which also includes St Brides.

The Clogherhead side were unfortunate not to make the senior championship final last year, having suffered an agonising defeat to Naomh Martin in that last four clash in 2023.

Backed by scorer-in-chief Jay Hughes, as well as the experience of Paraic Smith and James Califf, the Dreadnots boast players that can hit a scoring groove, with another county panellist Conor Clarke a constant thorn in any opposition’s side from half back, while Louth stars Dermot Campbell and Anthony Williams who were also key to Louth’s terrific championship season, add to an impressive looking defensive spine.

Captained by Conor Faulkner, the Dreadnots do not lack for leaders, while youngster Gustas Knystautas has also built on his performances from last year, which helped the Dreadnots’ second team capture the Junior 2B championship last year.

The Dreadnots will take on St Brides on Sunday, who are managed by former Clans boss Mark McCann.

As the lowest ranked side remaining in the championship having finished below St Josephs in division two this year, many people may have tipped the Knockbridge side for another relegation fight this year.

Having avoided the relegation trap door following victory over St Fechins in the relegation play off semi final last year, St Brides will be up against it.

The Knockbridge side are in a similar boat to the Pats, in that they are without some key starters who have also gone travelling, including key forward Emmet Kirk.

The Brides will most likely look to key scorers Kieran McArdle and Sean Marry for inspiration, while experienced players Cillian Kirk, Paddy Reilly, and Andrew Smyth will seek to inspire the Knockbridge outfit.

St Brides’ keeper Aaron Devin is known to pitch in with a score or two, including some wonderful points against Cooley Kickhams in that thrilling senior championship group stage clash last year.

Young players to watch out for include Evan Wynne and Donal McArdle among others, who have shown promising signs in the league this season. In fact, Wynne starred alongside Kieran McArdle for Maynooth University in their Freshers Football Division 1 league triumph in 2022.

The third team in this group is St Patricks, who are managed by Declan Mussen and Kevin Franklin, brother of Joes manager Tom Franklin.

Having lost several key players from last year, who have gone travelling, it has been a difficult season for the Lordship side, despite finishing in the top six of the league. Such players have included Cathal Grogan, Eoghan Lafferty and Jack Murphy, while county man Leonard Grey has been stateside following the conclusion of Louth’s inter county season, but may return in time for the championship.

While they may not seem as strong as last year on paper, the Pats are still tricky opposition for a lot of teams at this grade, with experienced heads like team captain Kevin Toner, Darren O’Hanlon, Conor Grogan, Martin Breen and Danny O’Connor still knocking about, they can still cause a stir, while Aidan McCann has flourished in his role as midfielder. Ciaran Murphy who featured regularly for Louth under Mickey Harte, will be expected to push things on from midfield or centre half back.

The Lordship side also have a few young players to keep an eye on, including Conor McGuinness who has displayed signs of being a scoring outlet for the Pats.

Similar to St Brides with Aaron Devin, Pats goalkeeper Martin McEneaney will also play a key role in how far the Pats will go in this season’s championship, with his kickouts and his ability to kick long range frees. Who can remember his stunning free kicks against the Mochtas a few years ago?

The Brides will have a mountain to climb in a group which sees the Dreadnots and St Patricks favourites to advance.

Rounding off the opening weekend of the Senior Championship, Ardee St Marys’ will begin their defence of their title against the Geraldines in Stabannon on Monday night 8pm.

Cathal Murray’s side are back-to-back Joe Ward winners and Cardinal O’Donnell Cup winners after seeing off St Mochtas in last weekend’s league decider, and it would still take a huge effort to deny them a third senior title in a row.

With the return of a number of players who shone so brightly for Louth this year, coupled with the influx of young players, it seems as if the Deesiders have a seismic arsenal of players at their disposal.

With the return of players like Tadgh McDonnell, Ciaran Keenan, and Sean Callaghan in the last while, not to mention the return of the fit again Daire McConnon, to go with youngsters Josh Taaffe, Adam Gillespie, Andy Murphy, to name a few, trying to name what the best Ardee starting 15 is could be a headache for management, with TJ Doheny who transferred from St Kevins this year, only adding to these options.

However, its not a bad dilemma to have. The Marys look set to mount another strong challenge as they bid for 3 Joe Ward wins on the spin.

This defence begins against the Geraldines on Monday night, who assured division one safety a few weeks back.

Managed again by Micéal Magill, the Gers will have their work cut out if they are to seek progression from this group.

The Haggardstown side will look to talisman Jim McEneaney for leadership and scores, who will be hoped to be backed by a supporting cast of Shane Rogers, Shaun Callan and Brian Cafferty.

Captained by Jack Traynor, the Gers will also look to county man Dan Corcoran for guile in defence, while Tom Cunniffe, Thomas MacNamara, Eoin McDonnell, and Cian Farrell have also impressed this season, alongside the experienced Michael Rogers, Matt Corcoran, Paul Clarke, and keeper Sean McEneaney who has also shown an ability to convert frees.

The winners of this contest will face Newtown Blues, who will be looking for a better showing this time around, having failed to make it out of the group last year.

The former three in a row winners, managed by former player John Kermode should be better placed to do just that, especially if county man Ciaran Downey returns from injury which saw him miss the back end of Louth’s championship.

If Downey is fit, himself, the Nally brothers, Colm Judge, Emmet Carolan and Ciaran Cluskey-Kelly should leave the Blues in a good place to get out of this group.

The Newfoundwell side are another team that can boast young talent, with Iollan Farrell enjoying an impressive season last year, to go with Jack Healy, Liam Brannigan, and Conor McCriosta, all members of last year’s Louth minor panel.

It is a group that you may call Ardee St Marys and Newtown Blues favourites to progress from, as the senior championship returns this weekend.