Can Harte follow the path paved by O’Dwyer and O Sé?

It was a different time but Mick O’Dwyer’s arrival in Kildare in the early 1990s was a gamechanger in the proliferation of outside managers.

HUGE STRIDES: Louth manager Mickey Harte celebrates with Niall Sharkey after the Leinster quarter-final win. Pic: ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy

After Louth won the Division 3 title in April 2022, Sam Mulroy appeared on OTB to chat about the progress the side had made, and were continuing to make, under Mickey Harte. The thrust of Nathan Murphy’s initial questioning focussed on trying to understand how the players felt when Harte was announced as Louth manager 16 months earlier.

“I was absolutely shocked,” said Mulroy. “For Louth to get someone like Mickey Harte was absolutely incredible. I don’t think anyone expected it, never mind the people of Louth. It’s a credit to the Louth county board for pulling that one off.”