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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Louth ladies boss Kevin Larkin happy with performance after Louth see off Sligo challenge
Louth were marginally the better side over the hour and manager Kevin Larkin was more than happy with how his side performed. 'We're happy with the performance; that's what we talked about all week, just putting in the performance and the result will look after itself,' was Larkin's immediate reaction after the game. 'But the work-rate, there's big moments where Louth players, Ciara Nolan at the end there, she made two bursts forward when it's easy to sit back, she took the game by a scruff of the neck, Rebecca (Lamb Fegan) in goals, just magnificent. 'Sligo are a very, very good team as well and we're just really happy to get up the line and on to the semi-final.' Larkin acknowledge the fact that you both sides had already qualified for the All-Ireland semi-finals but that had not impacted his preparations coming into the game. 'We spoke about that and what was really important for us was our momentum. Irrespective of the result, you want to keep the momentum going,' he said. 'I know people say that, but I haven't even looked at the other results. I don't care who we play in the semi-final. You have to beat every team in the competition. 'So the most important thing for us was not topping the group or whatever, it was keeping our momentum going which we have done today.' Trailing 2-6 to 0-5 at the break by Sligo pinned Louth back for a greater part of second half but it was Larkin's sides ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over at the right time that proved crucial in the end. 'It's funny because that's what we spoke about, just keep that scoreboard ticking over and if you know the goal chance is on, you can take it,' said Larkin. 'But it's important to keep the scoreboard ticking over and we did it brilliantly; the scores at the end, Kate [Flood] taking the free and some of our defending was just absolutely fantastic. 'They're brilliant, they really are. They work so hard. They're talking to each other. I think our defence has probably been our strongest point all year and it was proved out there today because to keep Sligo scoreless in terms of a goal, to keep a clean sheet is a great achievement because they're a very good attacking team.' It did look like at times in the second half that Louth were about to get in on goal three or four times but a slightly misdirected pass or a Sligo hand in to intercept denied Larkin's side. 'Ah yeah, look I suppose the important thing, we spoke about that at half-time, we're creating the chances and that's really important,' the Louth boss said. 'We were just really happy in terms of the chances and if it's on, just keep that scoreboard ticking over and that's what we did.' There was certainly a difference in Louth's performance on Sunday from those earlier in the championship, and indeed in the league, and it was clear that the side is progressing at just the right time. 'The progress you've made through the championship, we've been working really hard in training and trying to see out games and things like that, because we're at the do or die end of the season now,' said Larkin. 'High pressure games in training translate out onto the pitch here. Every day we arrive to Darver we're improving and they're just a great team to work with and just loving every second of it.'
Irish Independent
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Breen not underestimating the challenges Louth face going into Leinster Championship
It has been a few weeks since the end of what was a solid league campaign under new manager Kevin Larkin where Louth finished third and missed out by just a point on promotion only losing to Cavan, and disappointingly, Down. 'It was definitely a positive league campaign when you look at it,' said the Louth captain. 'We lost to Cavan and Down only by two points when you compare to last year; we lost to Down by 12 points and we were a point off relegation and this year a point off promotion,' 'So you have to take the positives with that and you to know as well that if you slip up in a game midway through, you know that it's going to be detrimental and taking that into the championship is important I think as well.' Management Having interviewed the Louth manager a number of times, you can't but be struck by Kevin Larkin's sheer natural enthusiasm and his desire for success and that's something, along with a structured and positive approach, is benefitting the Louth players. 'I think between Kevin, David Murray and Jack Mac Namee, the three of them are absolutely 100pc every single training session,' said Breen. 'They're so positive and they're so constructive in terms of everything has a purpose in regards to training. They've set out a game plan at the start of the year. We've stuck to that week-on-week. 'I think when you have that structure and you have that plan it's very easy to follow and very easy to stick to and yeah definitely, Kevin has brought in a lot of, as you say, enthusiasm with the team and I think everyone feels very positive and happy to play for him.' And, as Breen acknowledges, Larkin hasn't been afraid to bring in new players and try others out in positions that they traditionally would not have played. 'Yeah, definitely. You spoke earlier about maybe other people getting on to the league team, and Ceire Nolan played absolutely fantastic in all of the games and she was probably out of position compared to previous years, like wing back, and then she was kind of playing like a third midfielder role and was absolutely fantastic,' Breen said. 'So there are a few changes and then obviously with new girls coming in…like you have Laura Sweeney there who's absolutely brilliant. 'She's still in the minor panel but she's an absolutely fantastic player and then you have Mischa Rooney and Lucy [White] as well so all those young girls will be leading the way in a couple of years.' Leinster Championship The momentum, that Louth carried through the league, takes them nicely into the Leinster Championship where they begin this weekend away to Longford and follow that up with games against Kilkenny and Carlow. On league standings, with Longford and Kilkenny in Division 4 and Carlow relegated from the third division, Louth will go into the championship as favourites. Carlow were perhaps the surprise in the league considering Bennekerry/Tinryland won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship at the end of last year. More was expected of Carlow and they may just see the Leinster championship as a way to redeem themselves – something Louth have to be wary of. 'Carlow beat us last year in the first round and I know we probably beat them well in the league, but they have been missing a lot of players, a lot of players stepped away from them,' said the Louth captain. 'So you have no idea what kind of team will come out in Leinster and for the championship as well. So I don't think you can ever underestimate any team and as you rightly said, they have the experience with Bennekerry/Tinryland. A lot of those girls I think stepped away so if they were to return to the panel it will be a completely different team, so they probably will be the main competitors there.' As Breen agreed, it would be somewhat disrespectful to discount Longford and Kilkenny because Louth are there to be taken down and they can't afford to take their eye off the ball, that's when they'd get caught out. 'Absolutely. You look at Division 4 where Longford and Kilkenny are playing and you have teams like Leitrim who didn't even get out of promotion and you have Antrim and Fermanagh who are absolutely fantastic teams as well so you can't underestimate Longford or Kilkenny,' she said. 'They want it just as much as we do so definitely not, and we have Longford away in the first round and it's always hard to play a team away first, especially when we haven't played them in a while.'
