Louth county hurling team

Louth
Sport:Hurling
Irish:Lughbhadh
An Lú
Nickname(s):The Wee County
County board:Louth GAA
Manager:Trevor Hilliard
Captain:Conor Clancy[1]
Home venue(s):St Brigid's Park/Darver Centre of Excellence
Recent competitive record
Current All-Ireland status:Nicky Rackard Cup (5th in 2025)
Last championship title:2022 Lory Meagher Cup
Current NHL Division:3 (promoted from Div.4)
Last league title:2025 Division 4
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.[2]

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.

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]

The 2025 season saw Louth clinch a return to Division 3A of the National Hurling League by winning Division 4.[5] Their Nicky Rackard Cup championship status was also secured with a fifth-place finish in the table.[6]

Current Panel

as per Nicky Rackard Cup round 4, 10 May 2025

No. Player Position Club
1 Conor Clancy (c) Goalkeeper St Rynagh's (Offaly)
2 John Casey Defender Setanta (Dublin)
3 Conor Quigley Defender Knockbridge
4 Stephen Kettle Defender Knockbridge
5 Adam Plunkett Defender Knockbridge
6 Leon Fox Defender Belmont (Offaly)
7 Aaron McGuinness Defender Naomh Moninne
8 Ben Goss-Kieran Midfielder Knockbridge
9 Conor Murphy Midfielder Naomh Moninne
10 Paddy Lynch Forward St Fechin's
11 Seán Hodgins Forward St Fechin's
12 Peter Fortune Forward St Fechin's
13 Darren Geoghegan Forward Naomh Moninne
No. Player Position Club
14 Seán Flynn Forward Knockbridge
15 Mark Gahan Forward Naomh Moninne
16 Dan O'Neill Goalkeeper St Fechin's
17 Seaghan Conneely Forward St Fechin's
18 Ricky McKeown Goalkeeper Knockbridge
19 Jake McNamara Forward Knockbridge
20 Thomas McCreesh Forward St Fechin's
21 Brian Corcoran Forward Knockbridge
22 James Costelloe Midfielder Knockbridge
23 Michael O'Shea Defender Naomh Moninne
24 James Murphy Defender Naomh Moninne
25 David Stephenson Forward St Fechin's
26 Seán Magill Defender Naomh Moninne

Managerial history

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

Honours

National

Provincial

References

  1. ^ "Darren Geoghegan's marksmanship fires Louth to Allianz Hurling League Division 4 win". RTÉ Sport. 29 March 2025.
  2. ^ "Hilliard delighted to be handed reins of native County as he starts new job as Louth Hurling boss". LMFM. 27 November 2023.
  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. ^ a b "Hilliard happy as Louth clinch Division Four title". Dundalk Democrat. 29 March 2025.
  6. ^ "Louth hurlers conclude Nicky Rackard Cup with defeat". Dundalk Democrat. 20 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Louth Rally For First Title". Irish Press. 2 October 1967.
  8. ^ "Another Hurling Title For Louth". Dundalk Democrat. 11 May 1968.
  9. ^ "Louth hurlers win divisional final". The Anglo-Celt. 23 May 1969.
  10. ^ "Louth Hurlers Make It Four In Succession". Irish Press. 9 November 1970.
  11. ^ "Hurlers success mirrors footballers league win". The Argus. 2 June 2000.
  12. ^ "Louth produce stunning display to clinch title". Dundalk Democrat. 16 April 2008.
  13. ^ "Allianz HL Division 3 round-up: Louth secure promotion with late blitz". Irish Independent. 6 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Promotion For Louth Hurlers". Dundalk Democrat. 6 July 1985.
  15. ^ "Louth hurlers on way up". Dundalk Democrat. 26 March 1994.
  16. ^ "Louth In Early Control". Irish Press. 19 July 1976.
  17. ^ "Louth retain All-Ireland junior title". Irish Independent. 14 November 1977.
  18. ^ "Defensive errors cost Wee County as London clinch title". Dundalk Democrat. 24 August 2005.
  19. ^ "Hurling: Raymond inflicts more Croker heartbreak on Reds". Drogheda Independent. 8 August 2008.
  20. ^ "Canty and Finn inspire Exiles to title". Irish Independent. 6 June 2011.
  21. ^ "Nicky Rackard final: Orchard blooms against Louth". Hogan Stand. 9 June 2012.
  22. ^ "Late goal blitz powers Louth to glory". Irish Independent. 6 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Louth celebrate second Lory Meagher Cup triumph". Irish Examiner. 28 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Lory Meagher Cup: Louth thrive in Croke Park". GAA. 21 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Louth Hurlers gain Provincial title". Drogheda Independent. 2 August 1968.
  26. ^ "Ardee Man Hero Of Louth's Great Hurling Triumph". Dundalk Democrat. 2 August 1969.
  27. ^ "Meath Fail In Two Leinster Finals". Meath Chronicle. 4 August 1973.
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