Inside Track: Louthmen continue to get results in other counties

At least four Louthmen have masterminded senior championship wins in other counties. There could be more – Jim ‘Sogger’ Quigley, perhaps, in his time with Crossmaglen Rangers, though the All-Ireland-winning boss was probably just known as the team trainer back when Rangers’ run was its infancy.

Two of the quartet mentioned above achieved the feat no later than last Sunday week.

While Crossmaglen Rangers were putting Killeavy to the sword in Armagh, Wolfe Tones, with a former Roche Emmets and Dromintee player in charge, were engineering a win in the Meath county final.

To gives the winning bosses a name: Shane Lennon is in his second year at Crossmaglen’s Oliver Plunkett Park, and another Shane, McCoy, is calling the shots with Tones.

Lennon and McCoy join Paddy Clarke and Colin Kelly, the former one of the country’s most decorated managers in club football, having overseen championship wins in a number of counties.

Kelly was also on the line last Sunday week, hoping for a second successive Cavan win with Kingscourt Stars. But in a major upset, the champions, who had Meath star, Jason Morris, in their line-up, got turned over by Gowna.

The result was a surprise, but not as big a one as the scoreline, 4-17 to 0-14. This was a reversal of last year’s outcome, Kingcourt winning that one by nine points.

They don’t get fed up winning senior titles in Crossmaglen. The most recent was Rangers’ 48th. Included for 19 of them was goalkeeper, Paul Hearty, who featured in this year’s Louth backroom team, instructing Niall McDonnell and Tiernan Markey on how keep their goals intact and gain dividends from kick-outs.

Teaming up with a club with such a winning record didn’t make Shane Lennon’s task any easier when he took over last year. Expectations are always high.

Along with the multitude of county titles, there are many at provincial and All-Ireland levels in the bag. The Andy Merrigan Cup goes to the best team in the country, and it’s been paraded around the Crossmaglen’s square on six occasions.

Lennon, whose scoring record with Louth in his playing days is beyond scrutiny, has a close association with Oisín McConville, one of his predecessors in Cross.

Both are celebrating this year, McConville having led Wicklow to a famous Tailteann Cup victory on the day Louth went down to Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Wolfe Tones weren’t taking a chance when they appointed Shane McCoy. Just two years after getting involved in management for the first time, the former county team goalkeeper led Meath Hill to an Intermediate championship victory in 2024.

Still, winning the county senior title represents a mighty achievement. His assistant, Ciarán Marks, had charge of Cooley Kickhams last year.

As a player, McCoy had two spells in goals for Louth, the first in the early part of this century after Val Andrews had taken over from Paddy Carr.

He was in the Roche colours back then, but had transferred to Dromintee when recalled for county team duty by Aidan O’Rourke in 2013.

In all, he had 23 outings for Louth in league and championship, and in 2004 was named the county’s player of the year.

The two Shanes now turn their attention to the provincial championships. Lennon’s Rangers play Gowna in the opening round, while Wicklow champions, An Tochar, provide the opposition to Wolfe Tones.

Talk about confidence. On the week prior to leading Wolfe Tones to victory, McCoy was in Wicklow for their county final, sussing out the opposition for a potential provincial competition meeting.

One of the many teams the late Paddy Clarke led to county championship success went on to win at provincial level. Dublin champions, St Brigid’s had a narrow win of Louth’s St Patrick’s in Dowdallshill before advancing to beat Kildare’s Round Towers in the 2003 final.

Clarke, who also enjoyed success with the Louth team, worked alongside Meath All-Ireland winner, Gerry McEntee for the St Brigid’s win.

And mention of St Brigid’s: A team of the same name won the Antrim senior title for the first time last Sunday week, beating a fancied Rossa fifteen.

In charge of the winners was Cathal Murray, who stepped down as St Mary’s manager at the end of last year, having led the Ardee side to a hat-trick of Louth wins.

Given the number of Ulster-based coaches there are, and have been, in Louth football, it’s interesting that some from this county are achieving success elsewhere.