Louth county hurling team

Louth

Sport:	Hurling
Irish:	Lughbhadh An Lú
Nickname(s):	The Wee County
County board:	Louth GAA
Manager:	Trevor Hilliard
Captain:	Peter Fortune
Home venue(s):	St Brigid's Park/Darver Centre of Excellence
Recent competitive record
Current All-Ireland status:	Nicky Rackard Cup (5th in 2024)
Last championship title:	2022 Lory Meagher Cup
Current NHL Division:	3A (5th in 2024; relegated to 3B)
Last league title:	2021 Division 3B
First colours

The Louth county hurling team represents Louth in hurling and is governed by Louth GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the Nicky Rackard Cup and the National Hurling League.

Louth's home grounds are St Brigid's Park and Darver Centre of Excellence. The current team manager is Knockbridge native and former county hurler Trevor Hilliard. ^[1]

The team has never won the Leinster Senior Championship, the All-Ireland Senior Championship or Division One of the National League.

History

As in most counties outside of the game's heartland of Munster and south Leinster, hurling has been less popular than Gaelic football in Louth. Currently, only three clubs complete in the Louth Senior Hurling Championship. They are Naomh Moninne, Knockbridge and St Fechin's.

At national level, the county's hurlers have won the former All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship twice and the Lory Meagher Cup three times. They have finished runners-up in the Nicky Rackard Cup competition on four occasions.

Aidan Kerrigan from Ballyoughter, County Wexford, has worked with the county hurling team. ^[2]

In 2024, the team was relegated from Division 3A of the National Hurling League to Division 3B. ^[3] They retained their status in the fourth-tier Nicky Rackard Cup by finishing fifth in the table. ^[4]

Managerial history

1991 onwards

Year(s)	Name	Origin
1991–95	Tony Melia
1995–98	Patsy Mulholland
1998	Selection committee
1999–2001	John Kennedy
2002–04	Joe Power
2005	Pat Dunny
2005	Selection committee
2006	Kevin McDonnell
2007–09	Pat Clancy
2010–11	Paddy Kelly
2012–13	Pat Clancy (2)
2014–16	Diarmuid McCarthy
2017–18	Philip O’Brien
2019–23	Paul McCormack
2024–	Trevor Hilliard	Knockbridge

Honours

National

• National Hurling League Division 3
  • Winners (6): 1966–67, ^[5] 1967–1968, ^[6] 1968–69, ^[7] 1969-70, ^[8] 2000, ^[9] 2008 ^[10]

• National Hurling League Division 3B
  • Winners (1): 2021 ^[11]

• National Hurling League Division 4
  • Winners (2): 1984–85, ^[12] 1993–94 ^[13]

• All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
  • Winners (2): 1976, ^[14] 1977 ^[15]
  • Runners-up (3): 1973, 1975, 1981

• Nicky Rackard Cup
  • Runners-up (4): 2005, ^[16] 2008, ^[17] 2011, ^[18] 2012 ^[19]

• Lory Meagher Cup
  • Winners (3): 2016, ^[20] 2020, ^[21] 2022 ^[22]

Provincial

• Leinster Junior Hurling Championship
  • Winners (3): 1968, ^[23] 1969, ^[24] 1973 ^[25]

References

1. "Hilliard delighted to be handed reins of native County as he starts new job as Louth Hurling boss". LMFM . 27 November 2023.
2. "Frank's with Mayo". Gorey Guardian . 22 December 2005.
3. "Louth suffer National Hurling League relegation after defeat in Armagh". The Argus . 18 March 2024.
4. "Louth retain Nicky Rackard Cup status". Dundalk Democrat . 19 May 2024.
5. "Louth Rally For First Title". Irish Press . 2 October 1967.
6. "Another Hurling Title For Louth". Dundalk Democrat . 11 May 1968.
7. "Louth hurlers win divisional final". The Anglo-Celt . 23 May 1969.
8. "Louth Hurlers Make It Four In Succession". Irish Press . 9 November 1970.
9. "Hurlers success mirrors footballers league win". The Argus . 2 June 2000.
10. "Louth produce stunning display to clinch title". Dundalk Democrat . 16 April 2008.
11. "Allianz HL Division 3 round-up: Louth secure promotion with late blitz". Irish Independent . 6 June 2021.
12. "Promotion For Louth Hurlers". Dundalk Democrat . 6 July 1985.
13. "Louth hurlers on way up". Dundalk Democrat . 26 March 1994.
14. "Louth In Early Control". Irish Press . 19 July 1976.
15. "Louth retain All-Ireland junior title". Irish Independent . 14 November 1977.
16. "Defensive errors cost Wee County as London clinch title". Dundalk Democrat . 24 August 2005.
17. "Hurling: Raymond inflicts more Croker heartbreak on Reds". Drogheda Independent . 8 August 2008.
18. "Canty and Finn inspire Exiles to title". Irish Independent . 6 June 2011.
19. "Nicky Rackard final: Orchard blooms against Louth". Hogan Stand . 9 June 2012.
20. "Late goal blitz powers Louth to glory". Irish Independent . 6 June 2016.
21. "Louth celebrate second Lory Meagher Cup triumph". Irish Examiner . 28 November 2020.
22. "Lory Meagher Cup: Louth thrive in Croke Park". GAA . 21 May 2022.
23. "Louth Hurlers gain Provincial title". Drogheda Independent . 2 August 1968.
24. "Ardee Man Hero Of Louth's Great Hurling Triumph". Dundalk Democrat . 2 August 1969.
25. "Meath Fail In Two Leinster Finals". Meath Chronicle . 4 August 1973.