Louth manager Colin Kelly.
**By Cian O'Connell **
It has been an encouraging start to Division Three of the Allianz Football League for Louth, who continue to develop nicely under Colin Kelly’s shrewd guidance.
Last year’s Division Four triumph injected a youthful panel with confidence and Kelly is satisfied that maximum points have been delivered from their opening two fixtures at a higher level.
Offaly are next on the agenda for Louth at O’Connor Park on Sunday. “Yeah, absolutely, it is a great position to be in, the lads, in fairness to them, have really pushed out the boat to put us in a very good position,” Kelly says about the February triumphs over Laois and Longford.
How Louth have improved during the past 18 months is a source of hope for Louth, who are generating belief and momentum. “I've been on record saying it all of the time, at this stage I'm like a broken down record player saying how pleased I am with them, their level of commitment and what they bring to it,” says Kelly.
“They are really good footballers which makes things easier to deal with. They are a good bunch, they are ambitious, they are happy in themselves. It is just a good environment to work in, everything they do they do to the best of their ability.”
Louth have acquired a winning habit too which is vital in a particularly interesting Division Three in 2017.
“Every time you play it is crucial you win,” Kelly states. “Division Three tends to be a dogfight, I think there were three or four teams last year finishing on similar points, score difference decided the group. You could find yourself with one bad performance to be at the opposite end of the table.
“It is a good position to be in, they have carried on where they left off last year. The performances have been good, the work ethic has been good and the results have followed. It is good.”
Andy McDonnell is emerging as an important player for Louth.
Relegated to Division Four following a disappointing League campaign in 2015 Kelly is delighted by how Louth have reacted. “Winning brings that feel good factor about a county. We have won a lot of games of late, albeit at the level we are playing at. There is nobody suggesting for one minute that we are going out beating Kerry, Dublin or Tyrone or Mayo.
“Where it has come from a few years ago to where it is now, it is a much happier environment. Lads have really stepped up to the mark, they have become leaders, the group has developed into a tight knit bunch and they've won more games than they've lost in the past 18 months.
“The first year was torrid, there is no point in getting away from that, falling into Division Four mightn't have been the worst thing that ever happened to us. It gave us a chance to regroup and if it continues on Sunday so be it. Having four points from four gives us a really good position.”
With five under 21 players in the panel Louth have invested heavily in youth too recently. “We have five squad members at present on the Under 21s, they haven't been with us for the past couple of weeks. At stages through the O'Byrne Cup we finished with four Under 21s on the team, three teenagers, Dean Maguire was excluded from that because of injury, he would have been in the mix as well.
“He hasn't got the work done in terms of training and minutes on the training pitch. There could be five of them in the mix.”
