Louth aim "to back up what we did last year" says McKeever

A bitterly cold New Year’s Eve at McGeough Park, Haggardstown provided the setting as Louth senior footballers opened their 2026 campaign with a 1-16 to 0-13 defeat to Down in the McGeough Cup.

For recently honoured Player of the Year, Conall McKeever, it brought a sense of closure to one chapter as another began.

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When speaking on winning the award, he said: “It was lovely obviously, just a nice way to finish off the year on a nice night and obviously for me personally.

“It was a nice way to finish off a really great year. It was nice afterwards. My wife, Alannah, said I can't call myself an unsung hero anymore. I think that's it done now at the window. I got my wee award, so I'm happy enough.”

Louth were competitive for long spells in the McGeough Cup before Down’s sharper finish told late on.

“Obviously, it’s New Year's Eve, and it was a good run out there for us for probably 40, 45 minutes. And as you said, winter football and heavy ground, we probably ran out of legs.

“Then, in fairness to Down, they kind of kicked on at the end there. But listen, it was a good shift for 40, 45 minutes, and we'll obviously learn from that too.

“It was a competitive match. But in these games, they do kind of tend to fizzle out, maybe after 40 minutes. And as you said, we brought in a few changes, they brought in a few changes and kind of they got on top from there.

“But I suppose it was good to see a lot of new faces coming in there. Like Padraic Tinnelly, that was his first start. He played a full 70.

“And then you had Seán (Callaghan), and James (Maguire), a good few of the lads from the 20s last year. So it was good to get them in as well.”

O'Byrne Cup

With the O'Byrne Cup looming and the National League fast approaching, the focus is firmly on preparation.

“Oh, 100%. Like, we obviously have the O'Byrne Cup now, next week, when we see who we get, Westmeath or Longford. But the league comes quick enough.

“You're only three and a half weeks out from the Offaly game. So we kind of need these and need to get prepared pretty quick.”

Competition

Competition for places is already intense, particularly with U20 graduates pushing hard to break into senior reckoning under the new management.

“It's massive for everyone. Obviously, for the team, we're trying to work on what we've been practising and training. You're trying to get your fitness up for a full 70.

“There's boys trying to get into a starting 15 or into a 26. So it's massive for everyone. But it's great. It's good to have it back this year now. It's technically a competitive game, but there's loads that we can get out of it.”

New manager

Former assistant manager Gavin Devlin has taken over the Wee County reigns from Ger Brennan.

“We worked with Gavin (Devlin) before, so we kind of knew what to expect, and he brings massive energy to it. And it's just now matching that. And, you know, it's a fresh voice, and that is nice too.

“But, like, a similar sort of group of players with the U20s coming in.So we have massive, massive competition, which I think that's really what drives it, you know. So we just need to keep driving it on.”

Winter football

For seasoned campaigners like McKeever, motivation is not an issue, even on a December afternoon.

“Yeah, well, I don't know. Like, for me, anyway, I'd play a match any day of the week. Like, it's better than training. I think you get fitter quicker from it.

“So I know it's New Year's Eve and maybe not the best day for it. But no, I think most of the boys, any time there's a match, yeah, we're happy to be playing.”

Attention now turns to a trip away to either Westmeath or Longford in the O’Byrne Cup.

“We didn't have an O’Byrne Cup last year, but every year it is competitive. It's heavy ground. It's winter football, whether it's in Mullingar or in Longford or whatever it is. We've played there.

“We know, and we've played a lot, so we know it's going to be a good competitive game. That's what you're looking for.”

National League

Looking further down the road, the challenge of Division 2 awaits in a landscape where margins are tight and mistakes are significant.

“That's where you want to be. Division 2 is always so competitive, and it kind of has the added pressure of, like, Tailteann Cups, or Sam Maguire.

“You need to make sure you finish as high as possible, and we're obviously aiming to finish as high as possible. But then again, as you said, we've got a bit of a target on our back now, and it's just trying to back up what we did last year.”