The Louth footballers have enjoyed an impressive rise of late. As recently as 2021, they were a Division 4 outfit. Today, they do battle with Dublin for promotion to Division 1.
A win would see Mickey Harte’s side join Derry in the top-flight next season, and face off in the Division 2 Allianz Football League final next weekend.
“There’s a massive excitement and buzz in the county,” is the first thing former Louth forward Darren Clarke tells The42.
“Really looking forward, and excited about the prospect of going to Croke Park with something to play for on the last day of the league.
“It’s a great position to be in.”
That hasn’t always been the case.
***
In the depths of Covid in November 2020, there was a shock managerial appointment.
Exactly 10 days after his 18-year reign as Tyrone manager came to an end, Mickey Harte opened a new chapter as Louth boss.
With Gavin ‘Horse’ Devlin his right-hand man, the only way has been up ever since.
Their impact and influence has been immeasurable.
“They took over the team at a low enough ebb in Division 4,” Clarke recalls. “They were able to put in strong foundations in Division 4, get the team together and gather the personnel they required to fit into the way they wanted to play. It was probably a good area in Division 4 to be able to blood them players and bring in a lot of young players.
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“When you have guys of that caliber coming in, a manager of Mickey’s status, he’s been there, he’s done it all. And then you have a coach like Gavin — from seeing him first-hand, he’s probably one of the best coaches in the country.
“You can see the stamp that the guys are putting onto the team at the minute. They’re not just set up any way, they’re playing to a structure and system. They’re going about their business and they have purpose and intent about what they’re doing. That’s obviously from hours of hard work and buy-in from the players as well. It’s a credit to all the players. They’ve really got behind the whole initiative and it’s really a good time for Louth football.
“It’s an exciting time to be involved and to be going to see and support the team and that. The lads have made a major impact, and it’s amazing what momentum and belief can give you when you have guys of that caliber coming in to drive the thing on.”
Clarke in action for Louth in 2013. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Momentum. Belief. Confidence.
Building all the time.
From winning Division 4 and then repeating the trick in Division 3, to slowly but surely finding their feet in the “cut-throat” second tier.
Clarke has been main co-commentator on LMFM this year, almost kicking every ball on the journey with his former team.
There were narrow defeats to Clare and Derry before a win over Limerick and the “turning point” against Meath in Navan. They then added another scalp over Leinster counterparts Kildare while securing their Division 2 status, and went one step further as they ended their 66-year losing streak to Cork and set up what is effectively a promotion play-off against Dublin.
“At the start of the year, you would have looked at it: Ulster champions, Leinster champions, the likes of Kildare, Meath and Cork. You would have actually took, I’m sure, consolidating your status in Division 2.
“With the momentum you got from the wins against Limerick, Meath and Kildare and Cork, it’s left you in a massive position now. I do believe belief and momentum was a major thing.
“Especially the way the team’s playing at the minute, they have full belief in the system that they’re playing and full belief in the whole set-up. There’s a great buzz around the county, that feeds on to the pitch really I feel, and you can see that clearly in the players. They’re responding and they look to be really enjoying their football too, which is important. That’s how success is nearly built, isn’t it? When you have belief, momentum, enjoyment.”
There could have been major setbacks along the way. They lost former AFL star Ciarán Byrne and “leading marksman” Sam Mulroy to injury, with Clarke’s St Mary’s Ardee clubmate Tom Jackson another big miss. It’s just a case of next man in; the collective squad effort clearly evident.
There’s so much positivity around Louth football overall.
A new stadium is being built in Dundalk, there’s incredible work being done at the Centre of Excellence in Darver, and underage teams are rising through the ranks.
Clarke himself was involved with the U20s recently — he’s currently managing Meath women’s club team Dee Rangers while still enjoying his own football with Ardee — and 12 of those players have made the transition to senior, several now regular starters.
Dan Corcoran celebrates last week's win over Cork. Ciaran Culligan / INPHO
Ciaran Culligan / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s all the one. The fact that the underage now can see that. The last couple of games have been in our home pitch in Ardee and the buzz before the game, the crowds and the build-up, everyone wearing the red jersey again, all the kids looking for photographs with the players, them kids now have new role models.
“It’s a credit to the management and the players and all the backroom team for all the work that they’ve put in over the last couple of years. It’s not just been this year. And you look at all the underage work that’s going on with all the coaches within Louth, the work that Peter Fitzpatrick is doing as well in the background, it is all from the bottom up or the top down. It’s a good time to be involved and it’s a good time for Louth football.”
Clarke is well aware it could get even better today.
He’s on duty on Level 7 in Croke Park alongside Colm Corrigan for LMFM, and relishing the battle which lies ahead.
A free shot of sorts, but Harte’s men will be eyening another statement win.
“I think everybody in Louth is heading up to the game,” Clarke laughs. “There’s buses going from every club, I don’t think there’s any buses to be got any more!
“It’s great for the players to have a game of this magnitude before the championship. It’s going to be a great opportunity for players to pitch themselves against the best team, in my opinion, in the last 10-15 years.
“What better occasion for the current Louth team to go and put their best foot forward and see where they’re coming up against Dublin. Obviously Dublin are going to be raging favorites and most other people will have Dublin in the league final already. But look, there’s a great opportunity now and something to play for from a Louth perspective.”
Wee county, big game.
Regardless of the result, the rise continues.
Get instant updates on the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues on The42 app. Brought to you by Allianz Insurance, proud sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for over 30 years.
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'Massive excitement and buzz. It's a really good time for Louth football'
WEE COUNTY, BIG game.
The Louth footballers have enjoyed an impressive rise of late. As recently as 2021, they were a Division 4 outfit. Today, they do battle with Dublin for promotion to Division 1.
A win would see Mickey Harte’s side join Derry in the top-flight next season, and face off in the Division 2 Allianz Football League final next weekend.
“There’s a massive excitement and buzz in the county,” is the first thing former Louth forward Darren Clarke tells The42.
“Really looking forward, and excited about the prospect of going to Croke Park with something to play for on the last day of the league.
“It’s a great position to be in.”
That hasn’t always been the case.
***
In the depths of Covid in November 2020, there was a shock managerial appointment.
Exactly 10 days after his 18-year reign as Tyrone manager came to an end, Mickey Harte opened a new chapter as Louth boss.
With Gavin ‘Horse’ Devlin his right-hand man, the only way has been up ever since.
Their impact and influence has been immeasurable.
“They took over the team at a low enough ebb in Division 4,” Clarke recalls. “They were able to put in strong foundations in Division 4, get the team together and gather the personnel they required to fit into the way they wanted to play. It was probably a good area in Division 4 to be able to blood them players and bring in a lot of young players.
“When you have guys of that caliber coming in, a manager of Mickey’s status, he’s been there, he’s done it all. And then you have a coach like Gavin — from seeing him first-hand, he’s probably one of the best coaches in the country.
“You can see the stamp that the guys are putting onto the team at the minute. They’re not just set up any way, they’re playing to a structure and system. They’re going about their business and they have purpose and intent about what they’re doing. That’s obviously from hours of hard work and buy-in from the players as well. It’s a credit to all the players. They’ve really got behind the whole initiative and it’s really a good time for Louth football.
“It’s an exciting time to be involved and to be going to see and support the team and that. The lads have made a major impact, and it’s amazing what momentum and belief can give you when you have guys of that caliber coming in to drive the thing on.”
Momentum. Belief. Confidence.
Building all the time.
From winning Division 4 and then repeating the trick in Division 3, to slowly but surely finding their feet in the “cut-throat” second tier.
Clarke has been main co-commentator on LMFM this year, almost kicking every ball on the journey with his former team.
There were narrow defeats to Clare and Derry before a win over Limerick and the “turning point” against Meath in Navan. They then added another scalp over Leinster counterparts Kildare while securing their Division 2 status, and went one step further as they ended their 66-year losing streak to Cork and set up what is effectively a promotion play-off against Dublin.
“At the start of the year, you would have looked at it: Ulster champions, Leinster champions, the likes of Kildare, Meath and Cork. You would have actually took, I’m sure, consolidating your status in Division 2.
“With the momentum you got from the wins against Limerick, Meath and Kildare and Cork, it’s left you in a massive position now. I do believe belief and momentum was a major thing.
“Especially the way the team’s playing at the minute, they have full belief in the system that they’re playing and full belief in the whole set-up. There’s a great buzz around the county, that feeds on to the pitch really I feel, and you can see that clearly in the players. They’re responding and they look to be really enjoying their football too, which is important. That’s how success is nearly built, isn’t it? When you have belief, momentum, enjoyment.”
There could have been major setbacks along the way. They lost former AFL star Ciarán Byrne and “leading marksman” Sam Mulroy to injury, with Clarke’s St Mary’s Ardee clubmate Tom Jackson another big miss. It’s just a case of next man in; the collective squad effort clearly evident.
There’s so much positivity around Louth football overall.
A new stadium is being built in Dundalk, there’s incredible work being done at the Centre of Excellence in Darver, and underage teams are rising through the ranks.
Clarke himself was involved with the U20s recently — he’s currently managing Meath women’s club team Dee Rangers while still enjoying his own football with Ardee — and 12 of those players have made the transition to senior, several now regular starters.
“It’s all the one. The fact that the underage now can see that. The last couple of games have been in our home pitch in Ardee and the buzz before the game, the crowds and the build-up, everyone wearing the red jersey again, all the kids looking for photographs with the players, them kids now have new role models.
“It’s a credit to the management and the players and all the backroom team for all the work that they’ve put in over the last couple of years. It’s not just been this year. And you look at all the underage work that’s going on with all the coaches within Louth, the work that Peter Fitzpatrick is doing as well in the background, it is all from the bottom up or the top down. It’s a good time to be involved and it’s a good time for Louth football.”
Clarke is well aware it could get even better today.
He’s on duty on Level 7 in Croke Park alongside Colm Corrigan for LMFM, and relishing the battle which lies ahead.
A free shot of sorts, but Harte’s men will be eyening another statement win.
“I think everybody in Louth is heading up to the game,” Clarke laughs. “There’s buses going from every club, I don’t think there’s any buses to be got any more!
“It’s great for the players to have a game of this magnitude before the championship. It’s going to be a great opportunity for players to pitch themselves against the best team, in my opinion, in the last 10-15 years.
“What better occasion for the current Louth team to go and put their best foot forward and see where they’re coming up against Dublin. Obviously Dublin are going to be raging favorites and most other people will have Dublin in the league final already. But look, there’s a great opportunity now and something to play for from a Louth perspective.”
Wee county, big game.
Regardless of the result, the rise continues.
Get instant updates on the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues on The42 app. Brought to you by Allianz Insurance, proud sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for over 30 years.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Darren Clarke Gavin Devlin Mickey Harte Wee County Big Game