Poor call not to release senior pair to Under-20s
LOUTH Under-20s bowed out of the Leinster Championship at the first hurdle when they were beaten 2-6 to 0-9 by Offaly at a wet and windy Dunleer on Saturday.
Despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession Aidan Shevlin’s men failed to capitalise on that advantage with the concession of two slack goals either side of half-time proving pivotal to the outcome.
Louth were in control for long periods, but the defence failed to contain the burly Offaly number 14 Sean Courtney and his two-goal contribution ultimately decided the contest.
It was a disappointing finale to this talented group’s season as they showed real glimpses of class and potential during their build-up campaign.
The most frustrating aspect, however, of this game was not the actual result but the fact that we were forced to field without arguably our two best players, Liam Jackson and Dan Corcoran.
Senior manager Wayne Kierans refused to release the pair as they were required for the adult team’s National League encounter against the same opposition 24 hours later.
There is no doubt in my mind that the pendulum would have swung in our favour had Jackson and Corcoran been made available.
It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that the following day’s Division 3 clash in the Gaelic Grounds had every chance of falling victim to the impending weather, therefore the inclusion of the pair should have been allowed.
Given Wayne Kierans’ previous experience as manager of county underage squads, and knowing what this game meant to the panel of players involved, I’m baffled and disappointed with his decision.
When in charge of the Louth Under-20s in 2018 Kierans lost the services of Emmet Carolan and Ross Nally who became ineligible for the Under-20s after lining out with the seniors in the previous month’s championship defeat to Carlow. He therefore would have understood fully the impact of this flawed decision on the group.
That game will have been the last time many of those young players will ever wear the red jersey again. Even if he had allow both lads play 30 minutes each or allow their inclusion for the final 15 or 20 minutes when the game was in the melting pot, the outcome might have been different.
In my opinion Kierans’ senior team should have been more than capable of togging out without the Under-20 players or at least making do with their appearance as substitutes.
As mentioned earlier, there was little surprise around the county when Louth’s National League game with Offaly was called off early on Sunday morning due to an unplayable pitch in Drogheda.
Dowdallshill and Darver were considered as alternatives, but the final decision was to postpone the fixture until a later date.
Fair play to new CCC chairman Sean McClean and other members of the committee on getting a full fixtures schedule out to the clubs during the past week.
The fixture makers of the past have failed miserably in their duty to the club players who were expected to put their lives on hold as they waited on the drip-feed release of fixtures.
With early challenges like the cancellation of Sunday’s entire club schedule, it remains to be seen how the programme will play out, but after many years of neglect Louth GAA appears to be slowly moving back in the right direction.