Co-manager Philip O'Brien says Louth's hurlers need commitment from everybody if they're going to make progress.

The Wee County didn't win a game in league or championship this year, largely because a number of key men didn't commit to the cause.

O'Brien and fellow Meath man Ken McKenna have endured a fairly torrid time since they took charge last November, but their depleted side nevertheless came within eight points of both Derry and Armagh in the Nicky Rackard Cup:

"It's possible for us to have success in the next few years but everyone has to believe and we have to work," O'Brien told The Dundalk Democrat.

"If some of the lads weren't turning up for training in other counties, as was the case with us this year, they'd be dropped off the panel straight away. We don't have the luxury in Louth of dropping lads off the panel, though.

"We were short in both games. Liam Dwan and Shane Nolan didn't turn up to play against Armagh because their clubs were playing club championship in Tipperary the next day. Paddy Lynch, Shane Callan and Conor Kerrigan, who were made to play, were injured. And Andy McCrave, who performed superbly well, carried an injury in the games.

"We want and need the best players to be available to us but they also have to work. I tried phoning some of the lads who opted out or who weren't committing because we wanted them to be playing with us. One or two of them came back but then we didn't see them after that, which is very hard to understand.

"I feel sorry for the lads who were very committed this year because there were a couple of occasions where I got an outside coach in and there were only 14 or 15 lads turning up on a Sunday morning, when every player said they'd be there.

"I believe that has been tolerated in Louth before but it can't happen if we want to move forward. I'd welcome any of the players who didn't commit, or left, back with open arms. As I said, I tried to do that already with many of them."

Tweet

Most Read Stories