"If you want everything, you've got to be prepared to give everything" says Louth boss

In his first year in charge, Louth senior football manager Gavin Devlin, has guided his team into the latter stages of the Leinster SFC, with the group continuing to build experience at the top level.

The Wee County aim to defend their Delaney Cup title when they face Dublin in the last four tie at O’Moore Park this evening with throw-in at 7.00pm.

READ NEXT: Louth set for Leinster semi-final challenge against Dublin

When speaking ahead of the semi-final, Devlin said: “They've played three Leinster finals now, and they're getting a wee bit of momentum.

“It's game on, game now. The more times you throw yourself into the fire now, the more you feel that you're learning.

“We have Tommy (Durnin), Sam (Mulroy) and Ciarán Downey, and boys that have been there from the very beginning, they're bringing that experience into the auditorium there to the young boys.

“It's nice when you're able to sit back and let the players find a solution to certain things on the screen.

“Understanding the game and then being able to deal with Dublin's pace and power in transition moments or kick-outs, and they're at a level that we genuinely haven't experienced this year.

“I know we had a good result against Tyrone and Derry, but it was in Ardee in difficult conditions and on a difficult pitch.

“The turn of the weather now, it's faster, it's slicker, and we know Dublin play at a notoriously fast level. There's opportunities for us to show that we can grow and can play in that environment. That is the excitement, looking forward to Saturday.”

Standards

The continous hard work put in at the Centre of Excellence in Darver continues to set the tone.

“At the top level, it really is everything. We spend so much time here now, and we try to create the right premises here that players feel comfortable coming on a daily basis.

“You've got to give that investment of time and put your life on hold to achieve great things. If you want everything, you've got to be prepared to give everything.

“It's particularly when you are up against the very, very best, and that's what we're coming up against on Saturday, so yeah, it's everything.”

Red army

Louth supporters have come out in big numbers to support the side this year.

“You pit yourself against the very, very best. I love playing in big games. I love playing against the Dubs. It's the energy and the noise and the colour that they bring, along with our own supporters.

“Our own supporters have been absolutely exceptional this year, particularly even down in Carlow there against Wexford.

“The amount of supporters we had that travelled to that game is unprecedented for me. When I first came in with Mickey (Harte), it's amazing to see the numbers now that we're generating. It'll be all guns blazing on Saturday night.”

Croke Park

The move away from Croke Park is noted, but  Devlin does not feel it will be decisive.

“Funny enough, from a young boy growing up, I always just loved going to Croke Park. I loved my times, playing with Tyrone, coaching in Tyrone. I loved playing in Croke Park. I still do. That will never change.

“The game is in Portlaoise. The powers that be decided to put it in Portlaoise. I know from speaking to a lot of people that they are delighted that the game is in Portlaoise from a Louth aspect.

“The Dubs are notoriously hard to beat in Croke Park. From a personal point of view, I love Croke Park, and it wouldn't matter if I was playing Real Madrid or Barcelona in Croke Park or the Dubs.

“I love Croke Park, and I'd probably prefer to play it in Croke Park, just from a personal point of view.”

Strong start

The Reds were slow to settle against Wexford, and the manager knows that cannot happen again.

“You would expect that. I suppose now, at the very beginning of the game against Dr Cullen Park against Wexford, we took a wee while to find our feet and get into our groove, particularly from the break over four weeks.

“Again, that's something we're chasing in the training field. We certainly can't give the Dubs that quality of a start where we take time to find our feet.

“We can't take time to find our feet on Saturday night, or the Dubs will be in an unassailable position. We've got to be at it from the off.”

Selection

Despite injuries to key players, competition for places remains strong within the panel.

“Craig (Lennon) is in a race against time. He got no minutes at all against Wexford. There's no one ruled out. I'm hoping that he can get up through the levels and be able to play a better part than he played against Wexford.

“There's other players racing as well. There's other guys, come on, get minutes. There's other lads that have stepped in from a few boys who have got injured and haven't done too bad.

“We're in a very nice, healthy place where we feel that we've got options. It's picking the right options.

“A team to start and then another team to end the game that can give us impacts off the bench. We feel that we're in a nice, healthy position. The opposition are in a good position as well.

“That was the bittersweet thing of picking up injuries in the National League, where we're getting game time on the back of that.

“They've stood up really well to that game time and put themselves in a really nice position now going into the semi-final here against the Dubs.

“It's great that we're in that position, and it's something going forward that we want to keep building on. We have a squad that's about the team and not the individual.

“You have something here building and brewing. We're in a decent place and keep our feet on the ground and just do the right things.”

Dublin

Devlin expects a strong response from Dublin despite their mixed form.

“In the league, the rules can happen where on kick-outs in certain moments of the game, the game gets away from you and the scoreboard changes.

“Dublin will experience that as well. They're also, as you mentioned, trying to unearth a few new players and trying to find their feet there as well.

“I think all in all, Ger (Brennan) will be fairly happy. He's got minutes into young players' legs and is trying to integrate them. He'll know that he's certainly not in a bad place at all.

“The fact that they found a way to win against Wicklow down in Aughrim is another string to their bow. It would have been easy to lose that game, but they found a way.

“They found the solutions, and now they're coming in where people are probably knocking them a wee bit. They'll probably be a bit angsty about that. We know what we're facing.

Experience

Even without Ger Brennan on the line, Devlin expects Dublin to handle the situation.

“I'm sure it's difficult for Ger. I'm sure he'd like that to go away. It's an unfortunate place to be. They're a very experienced bunch, Dublin, in their backroom team and a pile of experienced players still about on the playing field.

“The Dubs will navigate that. Ger will navigate it. It's probably something that he wouldn't want to have happened and get the suspension to go away, but the Dubs will get over that.”