LongFord

My god was it cold on the bank in Drogheda yesterday...but on the pitch, Louth were red hot.

Our Fitness levels and Forward play was by far, superior.

Get out of PK's way

Ciaran Culligan Photography

Tackling

When you are fit, the game becomes alot easier and it showed yesterday.

We turned them over on numerous occasions, hunted in packs closed them down and forced them to shoot from bad area's. 

Basically we suffocated Longford when they had position in all area's because at the moment our fitness allows us to reach that intensity more often than our opponents.

Longford even with a days extra recovery were no match for us all over the pitch on a heavy pitch in Drogheda.


Forward Play 

The scoreboard does the talking here as we scored 1-17 but it was the range of way we took and made does 18 scores that was most impressive.

Andy and Peach Kicking long range efforts, inter play of our full forward line saw Louth work a goal where Clarkie disguised a shot and found Lennon who didn’t panic steadied himself and made sure he finished.

With David Reid coming deep, it left alot of space for Lennon and Clarkie inside but David was able to ghost into the game and either score himself or create. 

The footpassing again, was impressive.
Another sign of the Louth players high fitness and strength in their legs. how little the kicks were taking out of them. They were sent in hard with force and purpose accurately. Plus, showing no sign of fatigue they didn't go wayward as the game was nearing the end.

impressive Gerry Hoey

Ciaran Culligan Photography

Dublin Next......

I think it will be more of the same next Sunday when the dubs come to town. 

More of an emphasis on performance and work-rate,

More minutes under the new system,

More experimentation, trying out more players.

and getting close to knowing our best player for each position and team for the League.

It's nice to be in a semi and remaining unbeaten but We must not take an eye off the league. The managements knows the main focus is getting it right for the league and so far he has, with a number of players putting their hand up already and cementing a place with their performances.

(more on that tomorrow/Wednesday)

Shane Lennon collects

 Ciaran Culligan Photography