Hoey dismisses bad omens as Louth seek early success

MAYBE it’s because they’re not listening. Maybe it’s because they simply don’t care but Louth’s relationship with the O’Byrne Cup is a love affair that is not supposed to augur well.

History warns tomorrow’s victors that the trophy they lift in Newbridge will more than likely be the first and last piece of silverware they collect this season.

Since 1995, just three counties (Offaly, Meath and Dublin twice) have followed up their O’Byrne Cup success with a Leinster SFC title later in the year.

But Louth, so cruelly denied the Delaney Cup last July, are oblivious to the suggestion winning the competition is a portent of doom. Tomorrow’s game against Kildare marks their third consecutive O’Byrne Cup final appearance and veteran Aaron Hoey readily dismisses its bogey connotation.

“I don’t know how true that is because in the past we haven’t done too much in the championship after we’ve done poorly in the O’Byrne Cup,” said Hoey.

“Last year we got to the final and look where we got to after that. You prepare yourself so much better with inter-county competitive games. You learn more about the team in these games than challenge matches.

“Like this Kildare team are playing right now like they did last year. They’re a really strong side and Kieran (McGeeney) has them playing the brand of football they had last summer. You can’t get better matches than these ones at this time of year.”

The mood is excellent in the Louth camp, reveals Hoey. Manager Peter Fitzpatrick’s recent nomination to run as a Fine Gael candidate in the upcoming General Election has everyone in high spirits.

“There’s a wee bit of banter but Peter would take that all in his stride. He’s a likeable man and he likes the craic. He can give the slagging as well as he takes it.”

Former Armagh boss Peter McDonnell is still involved in an advisory role as is Martin McQuillan as a coach.

Brian McEniff, who also helped out Fitzpatrick last year, hasn’t been involved yet this year but the manager may have to rely more on his management team as he sets himself up for weeks of canvassing.

For now, though, the Dundalk man is very much at the helm and one of his recent executive decisions was to move 33-year-old Hoey, known more as a forward, to full-back.

It’s a switch that has so far worked — even if the St Brides man is not all that enthusiastic about it. “I hate it. Some days it works, some days it doesn’t but you have to give it 100%. It is better to be there than sitting on the bench, that’s the one good thing about playing full-back!”

Turning 34 this July, retirement had crossed Hoey’s mind before Christmas but only fleetingly. “It all depended on how the body held up. I’m quite happy to keep it going. You’re longer not playing than you are playing — that’s the advice my father gave me and anybody else who has retired."