Louth Minors have made “memories that no money can buy” says Clerkin

There was heartbreak in Newbridge on Monday night for Louth as they fell to a narrow 3-14 to 2-20 defeat against Offaly in the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship Final.

After a gripping contest at Cedral St. Conleth’s Park, the young Reds were left to rue what might have been in a game that hung in the balance until the final whistle.

READ NEXT: Kilduff admits Dundalk's stature makes Oriel Park a target ahead of Kerry clash

Manager Johnny Clerkin was extremely proud of his players but equally deflated by the nature of the loss. After the game, Clerkin admitted: “It’s just a tough dressing room to be in.

“When lads really believe in something and perform the way they've performed all year. Then, when that part of the journey ends, it's just like a bolt to the system. It's a bit surreal at the minute if I'm being honest.”

It was a contest of fine margins. At several points, it looked as though Louth might kick on and secure the title, but the final moments swung in Offaly’s favour.

Momentum

“That's football nowadays. To control a game is practically impossible. It's all about momentum. It's all about, you know, your kick-outs, your two-pointers, and when that shifts, it's very hard to wrestle it back.

“Very, very hard. In the last few minutes, it's just seemed to shift after the penalty. I'm not 100% sure of the scoring stats from the penalty on.

“But it just seemed to shift ever so slightly, and Offaly started getting momentum and kicked a few scores, and it's very hard to wrestle back.”

Referee

Despite frustration with how the second half unfolded, Clerkin wasn’t keen to blame the officials.

“He was appointed to do the job, and he'd done the best that he could, and we've no gripes here at the minute about fairness. I'd rather sit down and look at it and then make a comment on it, but for me, no, it is what it is.”

Missed chances

Clerkin acknowledged the Wee County may have left a few too many chances behind them in the first half and never quite built the kind of lead that might have proved enough.

“Yeah, we probably seemed to play them fits and starts without that flow for a five or ten-minute spell. We were just probably coming in at half time ahead, but maybe not far enough ahead, and not really playing with any fluidity either.

“I suppose when you get a bit of flow in your game and you get a score or two, you're building that, and you build momentum. We were always doing enough to stay ahead, tipping away without actually controlling the game.”

Offaly

The Louth boss was quick to credit the Offaly approach and how swiftly they punished any mistakes.

“This Offaly team, they play in the transition, you make a mistake up front, you turn the ball over, and it could be in the net in five or six seconds. That’s the way they play and it suits them, they’ve some serious lads and credit Offaly.”

Noise

With plenty of talk around Louth’s hopes of a clean sweep at senior, U20, and Minor level this year, Clerkin was firm that such outside noise didn’t influence the team’s preparation.

“No, I don't think so. For us, we don't think it was. When you win, you do everything right; when you lose, you do everything wrong, so I don't think that was an issue. I'm certainly not going to blame it anyway.”

Making memories

While the result stung, Clerkin’s pride in his team and what they’ve achieved over recent weeks was unmistakable.

“Success in football and sport is measured in medals, and rightly so, but you know, we were coming down the road on the bus, and we believe we're a great team.

“We'll be going home on the road on the bus, believing we're a great team and yes, that's a devastated dressing room.

“But you know, the last eight weeks, they've lit up the imagination of football in County Louth. They're like just a joy, they're an exciting bunch to play with.

“To a man, they're a credit, the way they come to training, and they do what they do, and yes, I get it, there's no medal tonight.

“But they've had a spring and a summer of memories that no money can buy, and I know certainly I wouldn't trade any of the memories for a medal tonight.”

All-Ireland

With an All-Ireland quarter-final against Roscommon on the horizon, the focus now turns to regrouping and using Monday night’s loss as fuel.

“It is a learning exercise, and look, for lads to succeed at inter-county level, they have to be used to playing in high-pressure environments and making decisions under pressure.

“Sometimes you make good decisions and sometimes you make bad decisions, and how can you go from not competing at underage to trying to win or make an impression at senior inter-county football.

“It's very hard, so with a bit of luck, this will stand to these lads. They'll move on. We're still in the All-Ireland Series.

“We've a quarter-final of an All-Ireland and we'll move on, they'll move on. The lads who can play next year will be all the better for it.

“The rest of the older lads, they'll go into hopefully U20 set-up and they'll get looked after in there and they'll develop.

“That's what I'm saying, success shouldn't always be measured in medals. Success is sometimes development, and for me, the excitement and the memories that we had these last eight weeks.”

Support

The crowd played their part on a special night, and Clerkin made sure to acknowledge the occasion.

“Sit down and look at the video, and the noise seemed to be really, you know, I suppose with the new stand and stuff, but lads couldn't hear us.

“None of these lads have played in that sort of atmosphere before. That will stand to them and look credit to Louth supporters down here on a Monday night.

“And that's why when the crest of a wave is happening, we're all enjoying it. It's to be absolutely brilliant, and it should be enjoyed, and this shouldn't take away from the lads' achievements over those last eight weeks.

“Yes, of course, we'd love to have won it, but it doesn't make the lads any lesser of a team or any lesser of men.”

Next

With Roscommon up next on Saturday, 7th June or Sunday, 8th June, Clerkin knows the next challenge is mental as much as physical.

“We'll get a few days off and look at the lads have to pick themselves up off the floor. We certainly have to pick ourselves up off the floor and digest it and, you know, feel the feelings.

“I'm saying it, those eight weeks. You know, it's important to overcome disappointment, there's growth, we can get better.

“How can we get better? How do we stop that from happening again? And there's an All-Ireland quarter-final to be looking for.

“Monaghan, three years ago, were beaten in the Ulster final by Derry, and ended up in an All-Ireland final, albeit beaten by Derry.

“But that's the true testament of a fella. And as a group, not as players, but as a group, that we all can sit down, work it all out, put the shoulder to the wheel and go at this All-Ireland Series.

“It is massively important for these lads to be able to play in competitions like this in that sort of environment out there.

“That’s why we play football. That’s why they train. That’s why their mums and their dads are taking them to Darver three times a week is to play in that there. Because that’s what inter-county football at any level is all about.”