Louth dig deep to set up derby showdown
COLIN Kelly is looking forward to another Battle Royale with the old enemy this weekend as Louth and Meath face off for an O’Byrne Cup final spot.
Meath’s draw with Laois on Saturday night was enough to see them top their group on score difference, while a late goal from Anthony Williams got 14-man Louth over the line against Carlow, to set up a repeat of last year’s semi-final clash between the northeast neighbours.
Kelly knows the Pairc Tailteann derby date will have little bearing on the season ahead, but he feels the experience will still be invaluable for his young squad.
‘I purposely didn’t go chasing challenge matches for next weekend because I always had the belief in the lads that they’d come through the group.
‘People will say it’s only the O’Byrne Cup, but there’ll be a big crowd there and it does whet the appetite for what’s coming in a few weeks time.
‘There’s that rivalry and intensity and the inexperienced lads will gain from that because you probably don’t get it in group stages of the O’Byrne Cup and you definitely get it in challenge matches.
‘While experimenting, we have won three games.
‘The task now is you’re going into play a Division 2 team on the crest of a wave and it builds up that atmosphere - every time you play Meath that arises. The competition within the squad just to get in the 26 is getting more difficult.
‘Earlier in my term as manager picking 26 wasn’t all that difficult and now all of a sudden it’s [only] the O’Bynre Cup and you have that dreaded Thursday/ Friday feeling where you have to make calls and ultimately fellas have to sit out.’
Kelly was again critical of elements of his team’s display against Carlow, particularly in the final third, but he took plenty of positives from it too.
‘It didn’t look good when we went a man down and when they got the penalty and arguably we probably weren’t at our best in the first-half, we were a bit lethargic. But the pleasing aspect was scoring 3-14.
‘The problems that we had throughout the series of games in the final third raised its head again.
‘But again our performance in the final third wasn’t what it needs to be but ultimately our character, fitness, effort and work rate you can’t question. They were fantastic in that regard again.’
His team started the second-half well turning around a two-point deficit to lead by three, but Kelly was disappointed with the goal that let Carlow back in.
‘At this level, you can’t give those goals away, it was a lucky shot into the box and it ended up in the back of the net.
‘You’re trying to avoid that. If you saw that at a juvenile match you’d be disappointed,’
‘But there were a lot of positives.
‘I thought Ross [Nally] was outstanding, his free-taking was excellent and he turned those guys over and he could have even finished with three or fourpoints more.
‘I thought Liam Dullaghan was outstanding at full back and Conor Martin was great. He showed an appetite and willingness to work.’
And the manager had a special word for wing back Anthony Williams who more than made up for his miss in Mullingar by popping up to net the winning goal.
‘68 minutes in he finds himself in that scoring position. His energy is up there with anyone in the game and with his attitude and application he can go anywhere.
‘He’s a phenomenal athlete and I’d rather be coaching him than coaching against him.’
Overall Kelly said he was delighted to get out of the group as it affords him another chance to run the rule over players ahead of the National League.
‘GAA teams these days probably play to train and it’s great this time of year we’re not spending as much time on the training pitch because of the games.
‘We’ll put our best foot forward next weekend but ultimately it’s about getting ready for February 4th in Portlaoise,’
‘The lads have acquitted themselves excellently throughout the group.
‘We have three games played, three wins, and it’s Navan next weekend. It’s great prep to have for the Laois game,’ the manager added.
People will say it’s only the O’Byrne Cup, but there’ll be a big crowd there and it does whet the appetite for what’s coming in a few weeks time. There’s that rivalry and intensity and the inexperienced lads will gain from that because you don’t get it in the group.