Perseverance pays off for Dempsey

WHEN Luke Dempsey took over the county of his youth he thought he could offer something new. Raised in Milford, educated in Carlow CBS, he managed the county for six weeks in 2004. It was a call he couldn’t turn down.

But he never realised the task that lay ahead. In his first year they drew Donegal in Ballybofey in the qualifiers. By that stage he had just 20 players to call from. They were the only ones willing to play. The rest left, disinterested with the demands of senior football.

It was a crazy first 12 months but he had hoped 2010 would be different. He took over the U21s and searched for new talent.