Louth GAA Eyes Historic All-Ireland Quarter-Final Spot with Win Over Kerry
Louth is determined to secure their first-ever appearance in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals by defeating Kerry in Portlaoise this Sunday.
A victory would see them top their group and advance directly to the last eight, bypassing a preliminary tie. Manager Ger Brennan is optimistic about the fitness of key player Craig Lennon, who suffered a hamstring injury in the draw against Monaghan. “Craig should be okay,” Brennan said. “He recovers quickly, which is a huge plus for Louth as we’re looking to finish first.”
Brennan emphasized the significance of facing Kerry: “It’s an opportunity to play Kerry in the championship and to go and beat them. We have to put our best foot forward to ensure that we’re as close to Kerry as we can be.”
Reflecting on their recent performance, Brennan noted, “Coming out of Clones, there was a sense that we really could have, should have, and would have won the game by five or six points. But, paradoxically, we were lucky to come out with a draw. The group has matured, and they’re starting to take these opportunities and make fewer mistakes.”
Louth’s approach is expected to mirror their pragmatic setup in the Leinster final, where they held their own against Dublin for long periods. “We’ve probably mixed and matched tactics through the Leinster campaign and National League. If there is the opportunity to squeeze Kerry, we’ll do it, but we’ll also be conscious of Kerry being the aristocrats of GAA,” Brennan added.
Emphasizing a balanced strategy, Brennan said, “We’re hoping to mix and match but to ask questions of Kerry. We’ll be looking to give our best performance against Kerry. There’s no fear but a healthy respect and an excitement of playing against the best teams. If you can win more than 50% of the battles, you’ve done your job.”
Drawing from his own experience as a two-time Sam Maguire Cup winner, Brennan recounted a pivotal moment in his playing career: “In 2009, we lost to Kerry by 17 points. The following year, we became the first Dublin team to win on Kerry soil since the ’70s. Fourteen or 15 months later, we played Kerry in an All-Ireland final and won by one point.”
He concluded with a hopeful message: “This Louth group has already broken so many boundaries. It’s amazing what a bit of belief, structure, and experience can do. All you’re trying to do is close the gap and hopefully break through that glass ceiling.”