Fitzpatrick eager to lure Murtagh

LOUTH senior football boss Peter Fitzpatrick is keen to tempt forward John Murtagh from Armagh.

Fitzpatrick will meet the Dublin-based Parnell’s clubman before the weekend in an attempt to finalise an intercounty transfer for the ace attacker.

Fitzpatrick described Murtagh, who scored three points for the Dubs Stars club selection against Dublin in the annual New Year’s Day challenge, as a “fantastic footballer.”

And Fitzpatrick’s need for a forward of proven quality has become more acute with the news that Shane Lennon and Mark Brennan are facing lengthy spells out through injury while defender Aaron Hoey broke his hand recently.

Fitzpatrick said: “There’s a good chance (of the move) at the moment. His family is from Louth. I’ll meet him this week and if the fella wants to come and play for Louth, we’d be delighted to have him.

“We went to America last year and he (Murtagh) played for New York. He’s a fantastic footballer and he scored three points playing for the Dubs Stars on the forty. You can’t be a bad footballer with that strike rate.”

Fitzpatrick has also admitted that Kilkenny’s withdrawal from the pre-season O’Byrne Cup has come as a blow to Louth, who were pencilled in as first round opponents for the Cats. This fixtures dilemma has led Fitzpatrick to describe the GAA’s winter ban on collective training as “a load of bulls**t.”

Fitzpatrick fumed: “Personally I think it’s a load of bulls**t. It’s very important that you can keep an eye on your players and if they’re not playing Gaelic, they’re playing soccer or rugby and getting injured.

“I’ll put my hands up and admit that we’re very lucky in Louth to have a facility like Darver and I know myself, as a former player, that you need collective training and somebody pushing you the whole time.

Keeping his side ticking over throughout the later months of the year is key in Fitzpatrick’s eyes.

“It’s a communication thing, meeting together once or twice a week. Louth were beaten on June 15 last year and that’s six months since our last intercounty game. I remember the old system where three or four National League games were played before Christmas and maybe the authorities should look at that again.”