Louth's Tommy Durnin pictured at the launch of the Leinster SFC. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
Louth football is relevant again. Tommy Durnin sensed that possibilities existed.
Hope was a constant companion, but the revival truly commenced under Mickey Harte. That is when Louth really started to believe.
Ger Brennan has maintained the levels, keeping Louth in Division Two of the Allianz Football League. Leinster Championship adventures have been enjoyed, with Sunday's provincial quarter-final against Laois at Cedral St Conleth's Park an attractive fixture. "To be honest, it all started when Mickey Harte came in first," is Durnin's assessment.
"There was that kind of thing, everyone was looking at Louth and what was going to happen. It didn't happen overnight, like, there has been a lot of...say the last three or four years, from Division Four, Division Three and Division Two, and that kind of consistency.
"When Mickey came in there was certain standards that were put in from the players, and the county board, and everyone was aligning together."
Relationships forged and momentum was generated. "We all just understood what needed to be done," he adds. "There have been some great players who haven't committed to Louth panels in the past but I feel like all the top players are playing for Louth. That's where they want to be.
"At underage, some of them were going to soccer, now they're all developing into Gaelic Games (players). The structures are there, the management, the S&Cs, it's all developing from a young age. And people want to play with Louth.
"People are walking around in Louth jerseys when usually they'd be wearing Man United or Liverpool jerseys. It's great to see. It's an upward curve. It's important for us to keep reaching those milestones."
Durnin knows the value of sheer hard work. "At the end of the day, we don't have any trophies to show for it," he reflects.
"The big, big push is getting over that line for a Leinster final. We've pushed Dublin closer and closer, but we want to win, we want to have something to look back on and put in Darver and say, 'Look, this team did that. It's for the next generation to strive for that and to grow'. That's the main goals in Louth and for us as players."
Ger Brennan has connected with the Louth players. "Ger has been a fresh air, Ger would sit around the table and have a good chat with a lot of players and even developing players and what needed to improve," Durnin says.
"He also takes that winning mentality from Dublin. You don't hear much that goes on in the Dublin background. It's interesting to get his scope of things."
Tommy Durnin, Louth, and Jack McCarron, Monaghan, in Allianz Football League Division Two action. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Brennan saw how an environment was created in the capital. "He would tell us stories about when he first started in Division Two with Dublin and Dublin couldn't win in All Irelands and the pressures they had," Durnin says.
"There is a good structure there with Ger and then Niall Moyna and different guys. There is a good experience. As Ger would tell you, he's learning as well. It's a combined effort. No one has the right answers. It's a good way to look at it. Maybe Mickey Harte was more strict and obeyed.
"We've seen the results that we can get when we all come together and work as a team. It's just involving that, players, management, county boards, everyone is working under the same terms."
Being a senior inter-county footballer is something Durnin relishes. "It's my 12th or 13th season and I've loved every minute of it," Durnin says.
"I've seen the tough Division Fours and coming and getting knocked out maybe first time in the Championship. Now where we are, you're never happy.
"You're always striving. It's like yourself. You get up in the morning, you go to work, you try to do the best you can. We have that culture. The more people that buy into it and grow with us.
"We're not fighting for things. We have all the structures in place, the facilities. It helps. It's just the mindset now of us to go out and perform and know we're capable of beating any team in the country on our day."
Durnin didn't feature at minor level for Louth so he really appreciates representing the county. "No, I didn't play any of it," he replies.
"I look back at it now and I'm actually probably glad. It's when I finished my college. The last year of college, I think, Aiden O'Rourke called me and I went into the panel.
"I haven't looked back since. I've been every season since. I see some of the younger lads, they're there under 14, 16, 18, 20. Now they get to 25, maybe nearly burn out.
"I focused when I was 20 and I suppose 25 then, it was like, OK, what's the next? It just took me to a different level then. That's where I am. I'm glad I went that way. You hear from different boys in the team which way they'd like to do it. That has stood to me."
Can it all be capped off with a Leinster SFC medal? "That would be the dream," he responds. Durnin is keeping the faith.
