Goal hero Crilly glad to be back in the fold

inter-county football and I’m trying to make the most of it and I’m definitely happy to be back.’

The win over Westmeath sets Louth up as favourites to emerge from the group and Crillly conceded that was the goal.

‘Colin set us a target of getting through the group because you get another game before the league. Obviously Westmeath have been in the last couple of Leinster finals so it was definitely a good test and it’s good to come down to Mullingar and get the win.’

The Louth camp will also have been satisfied with the way they weathered Westmeath’s early pressure.

‘Westmeath started very well and there was a bit of a breeze, but there was never too much in it,’ Crilly continued.

‘The boys at the back worked very hard and then we started to put a couple of nice moves together and we probably could have been a wee bit further ahead at half time.

‘In the second-half we missed a couple of chances that really should have killed the game off, but it was nice to get the win.

And Anthony Williams’ goal chance too that hit the crossbar, if you get that you’re six points up.

‘I’m sure that is something we can work on later on. You probably have to be ruthless with those chances, in the league especially, because there are going to be a lot of tight games, so you need to take every chance you get.’

In the end Crilly’s first-half goal did prove crucial and he admitted it was a touch fortunate.

‘Conall McKeever thinks he had it over the line and then I had two goes at it so it was third time lucky. They all count so it’s nice to get another goal.’

Louth turn their attention to the students of Maynooth on Wednesday night and while Crilly knows the third level landscape better than most through his role with DkIT, he isn’t all that familiar with the Kildare outfit.

‘I haven’t really come across Maynooth yet, but college football is thriving at the moment so it is definitely going to be a tough match. You’re playing against lads that are young and fit, with a sprinkling of seasoned county players, so it’s going to be a tough test. It will be an opportunity for other lads to get a chance to impress over the next two games too.

‘We got a bit of luck getting two home games, but we have to make today’s win count. The aim is to get another competitive match and any team that comes out of their group will be good.’

With 1-1 Crilly certainly staked his claim for a starting spot come the National League, but he knows it will be a hard XV to get into.

‘There’s a couple of lads with colleges and a few coming back in late. There’s the likes of Eoin O’Connor and Andy [McDonnell] coming back in so it does strengthen the squad. Going up to Division 3, it’s a tough division, so you need the nest players in the county playing. Hopefully we’ll be a bit closer to that this year.’