Contrasting fortunes for local GAA and soccer

This article was written before Mickey Harte departed as manager of the Louth Senior footballers

It’s been good for local GAA over the past week or so, but not for soccer.

A member of the latter fraternity has had mixed luck.

When it seemed Stephen Kenny’s number was up after his Republic of Ireland team was beaten by Holland – and as a consequence all but out of the running for next season’s Euro 24 – the FAI told the manager he’d be remaining in place until after the qualifications were over.

It was probably no more than the former Dundalk manager deserved.

No-one can say his team’s results have been good, but there have been extenuating circumstances.

That should be recognised, but is not, by his biggest critics.

When he was only bedding in to the post, Covid took a hold, and we all know the damage that did to everyday life, never mind sport.

Nor can it be said he had the best of luck. Injuries took their toll – no later than the must-win Holland game and the one four days before that (away to France), when Kenny was denied the services of Evan Ferguson.

What we have here is a young man who those most familiar with the game say is destined to become one of the great strikers.

Still with lots to offer in the management game, being a long, long way off the free bus-pass age, Kenny is unlikely to be reaching for the armchair and slippers any time soon.

Could we see him back at the bailiwick where he had so much success, bringing multiple league and cup titles and huge European recognition to Oriel?

The present manager, Stephen O’Donnell, could only have looked on in horror as his team didn’t so much limp, but crawl, out of the FAI Cup at Galway on Friday night last, beaten by four goals, all of them coming in a disastrous first half.

There have been some ignominious Cup exits in the past, when non-league teams put an end to the Oriel gallop. This would have to rank among them, a decisive defeat by a First Division side, albeit it one destined to be among the big boys next season.

The Cup was realistically Dundalk’s only chance of making the lucrative European football next season.

All that’s left is the league’s final games, and unless each of these yield full points – highly unlikely given how all connected with the team are likely to be deflated just now – there won’t be any trips to the continent.

In contrast, Louth GAA has something to look forward to.

When it seemed new county grounds might not become a reality, because of the danger of what was proposed going over-budget, or maybe having to be scaled back, Croke Park stepped in, just as it did in Meath, where hugely ambitious plans for Páirc Tailteann have been substantially altered.

It is personnel from headquarters, working in tandem with local representatives, who’ll be guiding the project from here on, one of them, former GAA President, John Horan, chairing the new committee.

While the planned date for the opening of the stadium in September of next year is probably out of the equation, clubs will be relieved to know that when the tape is finally cut they shouldn’t be burdened with having to make up a shortfall.