Mulroy happy Louth still moving in the right direction post Harte transplant

• Published date: 11 April 2024
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

In the immediate aftermath of last September’s shock announcement that Harte was jumping ship from Louth to join Derry, there were fears the Wee County’s upward trajectory from his three years at the helm would be halted

Truth be told, that story still has a way to run yet before its final few chapters take shape. But so far, so good for Louth in 2024.

Former Dublin star Ger Brennan’s appointment initially steadied the ship and then, as the league progressed, there were clear signs the players had responded to the new management. There would be no malaise and no reaching for easy excuses.

“I think that was mainly the big aim for this year, to ensure that we didn’t take a step backwards,” says Sam Mulroy.

“And while some results didn’t go our way, I thought the group showed serious character to stay in Division Two with all the change that happened.”

For three seasons Harte and his coach Gavin Devlin were in the Louth wheelhouse, and the Tyrone duo transformed the fortunes of the Wee County’s senior footballers.

When Harte was appointed in late 2020 Louth had just been relegated to Division Four. But when he hightailed it to Derry last September, he left Louth in Division Two and with a team which had contested the 2023 Leinster final. So, definitely in a far better place.

Still, the nature of his departure stunned Louth – including those inside the dressingroom.

“[The players were] probably blindsided like everybody else,” admitted Mulroy. “It was a big shock and there was great disappointment at the time obviously, we felt we were on a journey.

“But it’s kind of one of those things, you quickly move on, you have a job to do and no matter who is involved we have a responsibility to look after ourselves and it was a case of next man in.”

Brennan, a two-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin, was that next man in. He assembled a management team that included James McCartan, a Sam Maguire winner with Down in 1991 and 1994, and Niall Moyna – who had worked with the Dubs during their all-conquering era.

Positives

Mulroy, rather than focusing on the negatives of Harte’s departure, says Louth have been accentuating the positives of getting the opportunity to work with several more All-Ireland winners.

“There is a different dynamic, different philosophies, different thoughts. I think it has been interesting for us as players to marry them both together, which has been exciting,” says the Louth captain.

“Ger has been...