Louth's team of the year in 2009 was undoubtedly the junior footballers, who did the Wee County proud by bringing the Leinster JFC trophy home for the first time since 1966. After bridging the 43-year gap with thrilling wins over Cavan, Dublin and Longford, the Reds also rattled Cork in a riveting All-Ireland semi-final in Portlaoise, proving for once and for all that they were a truly outstanding team.

If I had a Euro for every provincial title that's winged its way into Louth in the past 20 years I'd be a … well … truth to tell … there wouldn't be much of a rattle coming out of my pocket. The sound of coins jangling together would be non-existent. Thus, in light of the recent famine endured by a succession of minor, senior, U21 and junior sides representing the Wee County, it's only right that we should heartily salute the tremendous achievement of Louth's 2009 junior footballers. Eamonn McEneaney's team - a stellar mixture of youth and experience - ruled Leinster and came agonisingly close to reaching an All-Ireland final. What a day out that would have been for a success-starved county!
As it was, the provincial triumph was no mean achievement in itself. We witnessed a dramatic fightback against Cavan; a magnificent extra-time defeat of Dublin; and a spirited replay win over Longford in an epic two-game Leinster final. When Colin Goss lifted the provincial cup, it was indeed a meritorious occasion for the county junior footballers. Leinster titles are not easily won at any level, so nothing should be allowed take away from the true value of this success.
Louth opened their campaign against Cavan at Haggardstown on Thursday May 28. After a slow start, the hosts finally found their rhythm to prevail by 3-15 to 3-5. The Breffni men were playing in Leinster for the first time and they hit the ground running with two goals inside the opening four minutes. But the introduction of David Delaney at midfield steadied the Reds and Derek Maguire gave a Man of the Match display.
Centre back Gareth Moran was also outstanding for the winners, who outscored Cavan by 2-6 to 0-1 in the final quarter to progress to a semi-final meeting with Dublin. Conor Rafferty hit a late brace of goals for Louth, who were also well-served in the scoring department by Maguire (0-5), Kevin Rogers (1-2) and Hugh McGinn (0-3).
Haggardstown was again the venue as Louth welcomed defending All-Ireland champions Dublin to town. Obviously, this was going to be a sterner examination and the Reds couldn't afford to start as hesitantly as they did in the opening round. As it was, the underdogs produced a superb display and advanced to the Leinster decider by virtue of a thrilling extra-time victory: 1-13 to 0-11.
During the two additional periods, Louth held the increasingly-undisciplined Dubs scoreless while adding five points onto their own tally.
The home side led by 1-6 to 0-3 at the interval thanks to Wayne Reilly's goal, but Dublin scored seven unanswered points after the restart to edge ahead. Louth, who were able to call on eleven members of Eamonn McEneaney's senior panel, regained the lead with two Kevin Rogers frees before a Brendan Kirby point sent the game to extra time, 1-8 to 0-11.
The impressive Derek Maguire and Hugh McGinn pointed Louth into a 1-10 to 0-11 lead at the end of the first period of extra time before Maguire made it a three-point game straight after the restart. Dublin's hopes faded when Donnacha Reilly and Philip Reilly were both issued with straight red cards and Louth finished them off with scores from Rogers and McGinn to claim a place in the final against Longford.
Facing the midlanders in the Leinster final presented Louth with a great opportunity of landing a rare provincial crown. It also offered the players a day out in Croke Park. The original match at HQ ended level and the Wee County had to travel to Pearse Park for the replay. This appeared to hand the initiative to Longford but Louth's determined charges produced a fine display to take the silverware at the second time of asking.
The original game was on June 28 - as curtain-raiser to the Leinster SFC semi-final between Dublin and Westmeath - and Padraic Shanley's late strike gave Longford a second chance, 0-11 to 1-8. For most of the game, Louth were in control and there was a feeling afterwards that perhaps they had left it behind them…
The midlanders looked dead and buried when they trailed by five points, 1-8 to 0-6, midway through the second half, but they scored five unanswered points in the final quarter to earn a replay. Louth played with the aid of a stiff breeze in the first half, but despite dominating possession, they only led by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break. However, when centre forward Derek Maguire set up Richard Brennan for an excellent goal ten minutes after the restart, to make it 1-7 to 0-5, Louth looked set to capture their first title in this grade since 1966.
But with substitute Stephen Philips landing three points, Longford rallied strongly before Shanley brought them level in stoppage time.
The replay was on Wednesday July 8 in Pearse Park. This time, Louth made no mistake as they carved out a 1-12 to 0-10 win, spectacularly bridging the 43-year gap back to their last success at this level (when St Fechins clubman Pat "Warrior" Duff led the Wee County to Leinster glory).
After being reeled in by Longford in the closing stages of the drawn encounter at Croke Park ten days earlier, Louth set about the task with clear determination and Conor Rafferty's penalty conversion ten minutes from the end settled the issue. With 2,000 spectators in attendance, the home county started best to assume a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage before a three-point haul from Hugh McGinn and a brace from Kevin Rogers ensured the winners of a 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead.
Longford hit the first four scores upon the resumption to move back in front but McGinn levelled and Louth then played some impressive football to pull away for a deserved victory and a historic Leinster title.
Louth, 2009 Leinster junior football champions: S Connor; T Costello, C Goss, K Moran; S Brennan, G Moran, P Nixon; R Brennan, D Devenney (0-1); C Rafferty (1-0), JJ Quigley, C Matthews; K Rogers (0-4), H McGinn (0-6), N Conlon (0-1). Subs: D Byrne for S Brennan (42), D Matthews for Quigley (50), W Reilly for Rafferty (58), E Carroll for Rogers (59), N Mackin for K Moran (62).
The peculiarities of the junior championship are such that the backroom team gradually loses players as the year goes on. Having made an appearance for the county seniors in the championship, Derek Maguire was a notable absentee in the latter stages of the campaign. It can prove a delicate balancing act for the selectors but by and large - albeit helped by Louth's disastrous summer at senior level - the manager held onto most of his key players at this level and was able to call on a strong team for the All-Ireland semi-final clash with red-hot favourites Cork in O'Moore Park on Saturday August 8.
Louth got off to a nightmare start and trailed by 0-5 to no score at the end of the first quarter. That's effectively where the game was won and lost. Second-half goals from Richard Brennan and substitute Dean Matthews almost turned the match on its head and the Wee County were ultimately unfortunate not to progress to an August 22 All-Ireland final date with Roscommon.
Louth, 2009 All-Ireland junior football championship semi-final V Cork: S Connor; T Costello, C Goss, K Moran; S Brennan, G Moran, P Nixon (0-1); R Brennan (1-0), D Devenney; C Rafferty, JJ Quigley (0-1), D Byrne (0-1); K Rogers, H McGinn (0-3), N Conlon (0-1). Subs: E Carroll (0-1) for K Moran (24), D Matthews (1-0) for Rafferty (42), W Reilly for Rogers (54). Tweet

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