Ger Brennan: GAA could do more to help Louth with stadium situation

It's anticipated that the clash between Louth and Meath will be played at Monaghan's Inniskeen Grattans club.

Louth manager Ger Brennan. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Ger Brennan reckons the GAA could do more to help Louth get their new stadium in Dundalk off the ground.

Louth will host neighbours Meath in Group 4 of the All-Ireland series in under a fortnight.

It's anticipated that the north-eastern derby will be played across the border at Monaghan's Inniskeen Grattans club.

Louth play their home National League games in Ardee but Inniskeen could take more than double the 2,800 capacity of Ardee.

"Tommy Durnin wanted to play there," smiled Brennan initially, referencing the Louth midfielder who now plays his club football for Inniskeen. "I don't want to speak out of turn but I think possibly more could be done from the GAA to accelerate the development of the new stadium in Dundalk. I think more could be done for the lads.

"There's an awful lot of work being done by the executive and the previous executive team so I think the GAA really need to give them a bit more support here and get boots on the ground in Dundalk."

Louth lost all three of their All-Ireland SFC group games last year, following on from their heavy Leinster final loss to Dublin.

"This year, you'd like to think that the lads, with a bit of experience under their belt now, knowing how last year went, that they won't get overly disappointed now with this result against Dublin," said Brennan. "I think they represented themselves with pride today and they know how close they were to winning the Leinster title so they should come away with their heads held high."

Asked what the principal takeaway was from the four-point defeat, Brennan said: "Just not to be overawed by the occasion or by the opposition."

As for his own personal situation, and coming up against his native county whom he won two All-Ireland senior medals with, he acknowledged that it was tricky. Speaking to the press ahead of the game, Brennan had said he wouldn't have any problem setting his emotions aside.

"It was a bit weird because, look, I was probably a bit diplomatic in the previous media stuff last week," he said. 

"I'm obviously a Dub and I've been out of the loop since 2015 but the likes of James McCarthy, Clucko, Mick Fitz, there are still a few of those boys around, Jack, Ciaran, fellas I played with. I love those lads to bits and I'm very fond of them but you just have to kind of separate that on matchday. 

"You've a job to do and Louth have asked me to be their manager so you're trying to prepare them as best you can and ultimately that's what I did, that's the mindset I took."