Ladies football in Louth has quite a lot to boast about for 2008 Louth ladies senior team competed in the Division 3A National League and the Junior Leinster and All Ireland Championship. The season began for the Ladies back in November 2008 when under the new management team of Brian Carroll and Teresa Hanratty training for the 2007 season began. Both Carroll and Hanratty set out to restore pride in the Wee County jersey and to build on the work of previous managers and to nurture new talent for the year ahead. Grace Lynch from Stabannon was captain for 2008 and according to Grace 2008 was about building the team, putting pride back in the jersey and putting down the foundations for success. Lynch felt that being captain of the Louth ladies team was a great honour for her and her role as captain was made easy by the great support of the girls on the team during the year. The league campaign started with a game away to Cavan and confidence hit an all time low following a defeat of 2-12 to 1-2 to Cavan. However Louth took this one on the chin and for the following few weeks they girls trained hard in the lead up to their next game against Carlow. This was a hope game for the Wee County and pride was at stake here. Louth lived up to the expectations of managers and supporters as they recorded a twenty point victory over Carlow. Spirits were high in the lead up to the Offaly game and Louth once again brought two points home as they beat Offaly by five points. However two wins was not enough to secure a place in the semi-finals and a critical game away against Roscommon loomed for the Wee County girls. However hopes of promotion from this Division were dashed as Roscommon beat Louth on a score line of 2-07 to 1-1. While the results were disappointing from the League, Lynch and her team did not loose hope and Lynch maintains the view that the League in 2008 was great learning experience for the team and that positives of team play, team spirit and player development should be taken from the league. The team refocused after the league and all players showed huge commitment and dedication in the build up to the Leinster Championship. The draw was a semi final against Carlow at home. However with a week to go Carlow gave Louth a bye to the final against Wicklow. This was the biggest challenge that had faced any Louth team since the team won the Intermediate Championship in 1999. Louth were not under any illusion about the Wicklow challenge and Lynch was cautious as she looked forward to leading her team out in Dr. Cullen Park in Carlow. It was a great honour for the girl from Stabannon. It was to be a disappointing day for Grace and her team in Carlow as the concession of three goals in the first minutes of the game came back to haunt the Louth team. However, The fact that seven points separated the sides at the end was an unfair reflection on how the game had went with the Wee County undoubtedly the better side over the course of the hour. Speaking about the game, manager Brian Carroll, described the defeat as 'gut-wrenching' and 'hard to take'. He said: "We played so well in the first half and we only made three or four mistakes in the entire half but they proved costly. "I thought we showed a lot of character to come back from conceding three goals in three minutes to lead at the break but the two goals in the second half just killed us. "Our lack of competitive games definitely didn't help us but overall I thought we did well. "A lot of people said to me afterwards that it was the best they had ever seen the Louth team play and that is encouraging but it doesn't make up for the lack of a trophy," he said. Louth did not get to long to recover from this defeat as a week later they were out in the first round of the All Ireland Championship at home to Derry. It was not be for Louth Ladies as Derry managed to outscore them by seven points. This meant that Louth's hopes of staying in the Junior All Ireland series depended on the game against London in August 2008. Training resumed after the Derry game and both the management and team worked hard on fitness, skill and stamina during the three weeks before the London game. A number of challenges helped the team and management to put ideas into practice and to finalise the team prior to the London game. The team went to London on 9th August 2008 and the game against London was played at 11am on the 10th August. However, Louth Ladies hopes of reaching the Junior All Ireland Semi Final came to an end in London as they were beaten by six points in the All Ireland quarter final. London got off to a scoring start as they put over two frees giving them a two point lead in the first five minutes of the game. Louth responded with a great point from play from full forward Michelle McMahon. Jenny Agnew, Grace Lynch and Orlaith Kirk played great combination football to move the ball up the field for Louth but were unlucky when the forwards failed to maintain possession. London punished the Wee County with a goal the other end put four points between the teams. London were beginning to show their dominance on their home ground. Louth were awarded a free in which was wasted by the Wee County and once again punished with a point from London. The home side recorded two wides of their own before Tara Lynch responded with a point for Louth. Marie Brennan put the ball over the bar to keep them in the game but as soon as this was scored London had the ball up the other end of the field and in the back of the Louth net. Niamh Reid reduced the deficit as she put the ball over the bar. Changes were made on the Louth side with Niamh Reid replacing Grainne Mackin and Anne Marie Lynch replacing Jenny Agnew. Louth then went on to have three wides in a row before Rosana Heaney scored a point for the girls in red and white. London were awarded a free which they put over the bar. Orlaith Kirk caught a great ball in the middle of the field from the kick out and she was unlucky not the hit the back to the net just before the interval. Louth were five points down at the interval. Louth got off to a good start in the second half and gaolie Caoimhe Breen kept her team in the game with two superb saves at the start of the second half. However Louth failed to get out of the starting blocks in the second half and London had put up three points before Louth realised the game had restarted. Anne Marie Lynch made a great clearance from the backs and moved the ball to Rosana Heaney who gave a great pass to Michelle McMahon who was unlucky not to put the ball over the bar. Aine Connolly replaced Linda Finnegan and Aine gave a great pass to Tara Lynch who moved the ball quickly to Rosana Heaney who put the ball over the bar. This is was the style of play that characterised this Louth team but it was only seen in short spells during this game. Lynch was then unlucky not the put the ball over the bar. Orlaith Kirk passed a great ball to Rosana Heaney who moved the ball to Lynch who was unlucky when her kick dropped short to the London goalie. London responded with a point to keep them ahead. Kim Lynch replaced Karen Rafferty in the Louth defence. Good play from Grace Lynch to Orlaith Kirk to Michelle McMahon to Rosana Heaney saw Heaney put the ball over the bar. At this stage Louth were trailing by seven points with ten minutes to go. London retained possession as Louth struggled all over the field and London again punished Louth with two more points. Louth responded with a great ball from Marie Brennan to Maeve O'Hare who hit the back of the London net to reduce the deficit to six points. Louth had another wide before the final whistle blew and their hopes of reaching the All Ireland semi final came to a bitter end. Louth failed to display their talent and their quick running and passing style of play for long enough in this game and London capitalised on the errors made by Louth to ensure their place in the All Ireland semi final against Wicklow. Best for Louth on the day were Grace Lynch, Orlaith Kirk, Caoimhe Breen and Ciera Rafferty. It was a disappointing end to a season that started with great hopes. However, it is clear that Brian Carroll has made a significant impact with this team as they have improved immensely on the previous year when they pulled out of the championship. If the current panel of players stay together, this year and the experience they will have gained will no doubt stand to them next year. On reflecting on the year that was 2008, Lynch was optimistic about the future of Louth Ladies acknowledging the work that had been done in 2008 to bring a professional approach to the management of the team. "There is now a great foundation in place for future success with a team of experienced and new players. 2008 for us has been a success and we hope that all those who supported us throughout 2008 will continue to support us in 2009 as we hope to do one better in 2009." The work of the media and county PRO Teresa Hanratty in promoting our game over the year has to be commended," said Lynch Coupled with the honour of being the Louth ladies captain for 2008, Grace also had the great experience of being involved in the Charity Playing for Life. This is a charity set up by Tracy Piggott which aims to educate children in under developed parts of the world through sport on a range of topics. Grace after raising 5,600 for the charity through a Run to Africa day in the county had the privilege of going to Tanzania in October 2008 for ten days to educate children. "This was an experience of a life time and I would like to thank Louth ladies and all those who supported me in this fantastic experience." The minor team which was managed by Brian Carroll and Gabrielle Clarke also got a walk over from Carlow in the Championship and they then went on to beat Offaly. Next up was a game against Longford in the Leinster Final. Unfortunately Louth were beaten in this game ending their hopes of All Ireland success in 2008. Tweet

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