Louth U21 Championship Preview

Louth play Meath tonight at half 7 in the first round of the Leinster Under 21 championship.

We return to Navan, the same ground we lost the Leinster U21 final to eventual all-Ireland winners Dublin.

4 of that starting team return

Corner back from last year Dermot Campbell starts full back and the Whole half back line returns  Paddy Reilly however will start at full forward while Anthony Williams and Michael McKeown remain in defence.

Having alot of experience in defence will help us a lot tonight. Keeping it tight the opening quarter will be key as confidence is largely what it is about for these young players. 

The Team
  
1. Kevin Brennan Sean O'Mahony's
2. Ciaran Ward Wolfe Tones
3. Dermot Campbell Dreadnots
4. Kevin Toner St Pats
5. Michael McKeown Mattock Rangers
6. Anthony Williams Dreadnots
7. Shane McMahon St Mochta's
8. Robert Brodigan Oliver Plunketts
9. Martin Breen St Pats
10. AnOther (possibly Eoghan Duffy Fechins/Peter Kirwan Dreadnots/Stephen Kilcoyne SOM)
11. Conall McKeever Clan Na Gael
12. Michael Rafferty Cooley Kickhams
13. Kevin Hearty St Brides
14. Patrick Reilly St Brides
15. Ciaran Byrne St Mochta's

Summary 

When I look through the team, We have some nice players, good solid footballers, majority of them have senior club and championship experience.

Alot of hope will ride on Ciaran Byrne and Paddy Reilly for scores and leadership up front. These 2 lads have been benchmarked for a bright future in red so hopefully tonight will help test and develop them further.

Actually, the more I look through the team the more I see the quality flowing through it we should be going to Navan confident but is that just the optismist in me?

Having read Manager David Reilly's quotes in the local papers last week his, in advance excuses does not fill me with any confidence (and he's their manager and father of one our best players!)
 
and 

In a week where the county couldn't fill enough places for a level 1 coaching course, a free course, to help our coaches improve our players and rid them of bad habit from the start.

How do our underage players stand a chance when we constantly make it easy for the peesimist to prevail...........