McKeever says young guns bring fresh enthusiasm

CONALL McKeever has been around the county panel for half a decade at least, and he can feel the winds of change circling around the county with his Clans club mate Peter Fitzpatrick at the helm as county chairman.

‘Fitzer,’ he laughs ‘You know yourself you need change after a certain amount of time. The first game he was in charge, the Westmeath one, he was in the dressing room just before it saying best of luck to us.

‘He was there in the tunnel as were coming out so that was great like. I think Tommy and Bevan had a meeting with him and it was quite positive.

So aside from McKeever’s positive disposition, what is the mood within the Louth camp like ahead of the upcoming League?

It is quite good,’ the wing forward reveals. ‘We had a busy December with the O’Byrne cup starting earlier and that. We started off with good win against Meath which gave the lads, especially the new lads a good boost. Probably our performances after that in parts were good, but not at that same level. The new lads kinda brought a new energy into it. They are obviously eager to impress and that’s good as well.

The age profile of the squad has flipped on its axis in the off season with a number of experienced departures now sees Conall as one of the elder statesmen of the group. He welcomes the extra responsibility of helping out the new recruits.

‘You become one of the older lads very quickly,’ McKeever quips.

‘But yeah it is good. There is easily ten or 12 new lads it is good mix of experience, new players and that drives the standard on.

‘Some of the conditioning stuff around November, December, that’s tough like. You are obviously used to it and you know that you do come out the other end of it. You are just talking to lads. A lot of boys would be good at that. The likes of Tommy, Bevan, boys like that suppose you just have to give the new lads a helping hand.

McKeever acknowledges their youthful enthusiasm is rubbing off on him and the squad as a whole.

‘You are looking at the some of the new lads coming in and I know with some the runs we were doing out there were really tough. Then you have Oisín Murray and Gerry Garland right up there at the top of it fitness wise. They are pushing you on so you have to get up to their level.’

So to this Sunday and surveying Division 3, McKeever is feeling the squeeze as the teams who have come down and come up are of a higher quality than last season.

‘You want to get off to a good start,’ McKeever assesses.

‘You have Longford away and then Tipperary at home second game so they are the ones you are looking at straightaway.

‘You want to hit the ground running. Last year we played Longford at home first and lost by a point that left us under pressure.

‘Cork and Tipp came down, I know Tipp lost a few but they are still a good side then you have Derry and Leitrim coming up where as we lost Sligo but they were quite poor last year. So it is tight. You have good teams there.’

Manager: Padraic Davis

Last Meeting: NFL Div 3 2019: Louth 0-9 Longford 1-8, Gaelic Grounds.

One to Watch: Darren Gallagher

Prediction: Longford will not be hampered by any Mullinalaghta distractions this season. O’Byrne Cup final success has seen to that. Could be dark horses to finally push out of Division 3 after a lengthy spell.

V Louth: Round 1: Sun 26th Jan (A)

Manager: David Power

Last Meeting: NFL Div 2 2018: Tipperary 2-17 Louth 0-9, Semple Stadium.

One to Watch: Conor Sweeney

Prediction: The departure of their talismanic full forward Michael Quinlavin provided a sigh of relief across the division. Tipp are not the force they once were however with successful All-Ireland minor winning manager Power back at the helm, they’ll still be a handful.

V Louth: Round 2: Sun 2nd Feb (H)

Manager: John Maughan

Last Meeting: NFL Div 3 2019: Offaly 2-8 Louth 2-10, O’Connor Park.

One to Watch: Eoin Carroll

Prediction: Just survived the drop last season on a head to head with Carlow. Things are looking better for the Faithful with bright pre season form. Welcoming back a few long term absentee’s, Maughan in his second season, is making a push but should do well to avoid relegation battle.

V Louth: Round 3: Sun 9th Feb (H)

Manager: Rory Gallagher

Last Meeting: All-Ireland Qual 2016: Derry 1-18 Louth 2-10, Owenbeg.

One to Watch: Ryan Bell

Manager: Terry Hyland

Last Meeting: All-Ireland Qual 2018: Leitrim 0-25 Louth 1-12, Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada

One to Watch: Donal Wyrnn

Prediction: Incredible feat for the minnows to get out of the basement division last season. Terrible early year form does not bode well for their upcoming campaign. Will need everything to go their way just to even have a chance of survival.

V Louth: Round 5: Sun 1st Mar (H)

Manager: Ronan McCarthy

Last Time: NFL 2 2018: Cork 2-11 Louth 0-10 Pairc Ui Rinn.

One to Watch: Ian Maguire

Prediction: Boasting the best panel in the division and like Longford, no club distraction with Nemo out. Cork welcome back Ciaran Sheehan in their ranks at full forward an ex AFL team mate of Ciaran Byrne. They should make their stay in the division a short one.

V Louth: Round 6: Sun 15th Mar (A)

Manager: Paddy Tally

Last Meeting: NFL Div 3 2019: Down 1-6 Louth 0-10, Páirc Esler.

One to Watch: Ross McGarry

Prediction: Complacent slip up on final day against Louth saw their hopes of promotion hopes dashed. They will not let that lapse happen again this year. The Mourne men have added some attacking power to their panel from last year that should see them go up.

V Louth: Round 7: 22nd Mar (H)