For the second time in the year, its a Black Monday in county Louth GAA circles.
So after a demoralising defeat on Saturday, Where do we go from here? Underage, Towns, Schools, Club Football, County Board, Money, Minor board, Development squads, County Ground have all been listed.
In this open Forum, What’s your opinion on what is wrong?
Shook
Dealing with Saturday first, It was one of the worst days I’ve ever had following Louth, we all know the worst.
Since then and thinking about the game has me shook. Maybe I was in denial going into this game, delusional even, looking back on it now, absolutely.
The Drive home from Thurles long enough with all the thoughts on what is wrong with Louth Football.
I’ve listed the bullet points above but I could list a hundred more!
I’m shook, I really am.
Players
I look at all the lads involved in the panel and set up and you can’t fault them for effort, they are all good players you’d love any one of them with your club.
But maybe I’m wrong, maybe they aren’t good players.
Good honest lads but inter county wise now, the way the game has gone, no?
That’s very hard to say, but after Saturday’s performance it is true.
Management
Could the players themselves better prepared and organised by management, yes.
Did all the subtle little slips of standard since last year finally catch up on us? definitely.
If you let things slip or if you are just not up to it or don’t do the thing right at all times you eventually get caught out.
Saturday our management got found out big time and with such a performance how can they honestly rebound back from here?
Whatever little respect that was there is now obliterated.
County Board
If they we were to compare Louth GAA to a corporation, Brand Louth is at the pits, Our stock has fallen off the face of the earth, we’re producing a terrible product, surely the CEO’s would do the right thing and resign at the very least.
Going Forward
Sure, we have all the right things on paper, development squads, summer camps, a county ground etc but to me, like everything in this county they are the perfect example of a box ticking exercise.
Is there actually anything of substance behind the ticks on paper?
We, as a county need to take a long look at ourselves because we’re doing things in half measure because when you look at the hard truths, nobody really cares enough to do anything about it.
I’ve stated a lot of harsh truths today, truth hurts and Saturday hurt like fucking hell.
The hurt from Saturday can be used as a watershed moment for every Gaelic man, woman and child in this county.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Do we know why so many have left? We cant afford to have a turnover like that. It doesn’t matter now but I’d be curious to see how many would still be involved if Fergal Reel was the manager. I really wanted Kelly to be successful and maybe he will be with time but we really are starting from the bottom.
For me this is lower than we were under Val Andrews. At least then we knew we were dealing with a limited squad but they really gave 100% every time.
A man and 10 points down against Monaghan and they brought it back to 1 point. Another glorious failure but at least there was fight and desire. Both were lacking on Saturday.
Louth football at the moment isn’t at the top of the list for the county board making money is but where is this money going!!!
I believe from underage levels a new structure is needed so that boys can come from club and learn to play as part of a team.. Too many players want to be the main stayer of the team so lack of play from others is evident.. team building exercises is needed so trust in each and every player is instilled among them all.. every player needs the confidence that his team mate can do just as good a job if not better than he can do himself and at the moment there seems to be a serious lack of trust and confidence among the team. moral is always at an all time low.
to me there is plenty of players in louth well fit to put the jersey on we need to work more as a team.. this new marking system of marking space and getting 12 men behind the ball isn’t working what worked for us before is more of a man marking role so each player knows where they stand and we need more long range shooting instead of trying to walk it right in.. this doesn’t work when other teams are playing a blanket defence buck the trend and go for 1v1 and long range kicking… no point playing short high balls into a forward line that has short men and its usually 1v3/4 try for the score………..
Excellent comment Seamus.
Saturday was the complete crescendo of all our failings in one 70minute match.
From the defeat, actual performance, spirit, preparation, tactics, intensity, management failings, mental approach, to managers comments it all stank.
Really tough one to get over and what makes it really bad is the opposition, Tipperary.
A predominately Hurling county, Excellent stadium, football underage success, not even a football team in Thurles itself!
all these highlight our failings even more so!
Saturday was a stomach churning day for loyal Louth GAA football supporters and there were many of them in Semple Stadium.
The first time I saw Louth play was in 1956. It was during the golden era of Louth football.
Almost every year since then I have been to see them play in championship matches something to which we all looked forward to and memories abound of wonderful games and, indeed, bad games too.
I met Kevin Behan recently and it still gives me such a wonderful thrill to meet a hero of Louth football and a fantastic gentleman as well.
It’s so hard to put the catastrophe that was last Saturday into words, written or spoken, of just how to describe what those of us who travelled to Thurles witnessed in front of our despairing eyes.
Tipperary are no world beaters and in my estimation are nowhere near the description applied to them by Colin Kelly in the subsequent after match interview. They have made progress, yes, but their performance against Louth on two occasions this season would not put them anywhere near the same class as the top teams in the country.
I’m no expert tactician, but looking at the endeavours of the Louth players on Saturday, you sensed an air of surrealism about their performance. They didn’t seem to be collectively ‘tuned in’ to a pre determined match plan. They rarely tested or tackled the opposition when they were in possession and the Tipperary players seemed to have an eternity to do what they wanted to do when in possession. Louth continuously ‘clustered’ inside their own half and made several unnecessary passes without making and ground or using space to attack. Did they ‘freeze’? Did the pre-match preparation which, I believe, involved an over night stay, have a reverse effect on the team’s mental approach? A 23 point defeat was horrendous and in my opinion does not reflect the inadequacy of their ability but, rather, an inferior mental and physical approach to games in general. This has been inherent under several managers and not just the present manager, Colin Kelly.
Finally, many references have been made with regard to Louth’s lack of top class grounds. Not having been to Semple Stadium previously, I was completely bowled over with the facilities. One word describes their Stadium – Fantastic! It has a capacity of 45,000 and a playing surface which would compare with any in the world. Thurles is a reasonably small town and yet can manage to build such a wonderful facility. Across the road from the Semple Stadium there is a GAA training pitch and of course the Greyhound Stadium. All with a 10 minute walk from the centre of the town.
The majority of counties have grounds which will accommodate championship matches. Sadly, Louth is not among them.
I agree 2010 and 2011 was louth GAA living beyond our means and 2015 is certainly the crash!
mental strength is hard to muster when the camp is so fragmented and when we have not learned how to deal with pressure from underage upwards.
we’ve lost 16 players from last year’s last game versus Tyrone!
County Ground is the ultimate box tick….we have one and that’s where it ends.
I agree on the proposals it is just procrastinating really…
All of the above. There’s no magic formula, it will take hard work and investment.
People have to realize that 2010 and 2011 have papered over the cracks of some very bad years.
What stands out to me is the lack of mental strength. One set back and they implode. Also, how many times have we conceded a goal direct from the throw in or 2 or 3 goals in quick succession. It happened against Kildare and Tyrone last year and numerous times this year.
Changing the manager won’t solve this, its a quick fix but ultimately doesn’t make any difference.
I’m not sure what can be done at schools level, maybe have a Dundalk, Mid-Louth and Drogheda Team for the Leinster schools championship.
My major bone of contention is the county ground, or lack of one.
How many proposals, plans, drawings etc have been voted on and still no sign of movement! For me it indicates the general malaise there is from the top table. They need to seriously get their act together on a lot of issues. Do they really care? I have my doubts.
In order to compete you need to have the best possible team available, without this we won’t stand a chance.
I don’t believe that Tipp are 23 points a better side that us, maybe in hurling. There just seems to be something seriously wrong at the moment.
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