By 
LOUTH manager Gavin Devlin stresses that the opportunity for his fairly youthful side to pit themselves against the likes of Tyrone will only enhance their development.
The Ardboe manager took over the reins at the Wee County over the off-season with supporters still riding the crest of a wave after their stunning Leinster Championship triumph last summer, their first provincial success since 1957.
Ger Brennan, who overseen that milestone victory against Meath, has now moved on to steer the fortunes of his native Dublin, with former Tyrone player and assistant manager Devlin stepping into the breach.
Prior to the outset of the Division Two campaign, Louth were deemed as one of those sides who could struggle to stave off the drop, but they opened in encouraging fashion by getting the better of Mickey Harte’s Offaly in Tullamore.
Back to back losses have subsequently followed at the hands of Cork and Meath, and Devlin accepts that it doesn’t get any easier with the visit of Tyrone to Ardee this weekend.
“ We are not deluded into thinking this journey is going to be pain free. Division Two is so tight and so difficult, there is going to be peaks and troughs the whole way through.
“ We have had Cork and Meath and now next we are home to Tyrone, so they get no easier. We just have to refocus really quickly, dust ourselves down and go again.”
Louth suffered an agonising loss at Croke Park in their derby with Meath last Saturday, Jack Flynn popping over a clinching two pointer for the Royals right at the death, after Devlin’s charges had stormed back from an eleven point half-time deficit.
The former Tyrone defender added that such setbacks come with the territory when a young side is operating at this level against some of the leading teams in the country.
“ It’s the direction of travel we are on, bringing young players through. Long term it will be healthy although there is a wee bit of pain at the moment. That’s what the National League is for getting some new players through.
“ At this time of the year you strive and hope that everyone is available. If you were playing your same team every week you wouldn’t be learning much. It’s disappointing not to have your full team but when it closes the door for one it opens it for another. We are getting a lot of minutes into different guys at different times. All that is a plus.
“ This is new territory for a lot of them. You need a slap from time to time to guard against becoming complacent. We have to improve and this is all a good learning curve for us.”
Given how Tyrone shot the lights out up front against Cavan last Sunday, Devlin is full aware that Louth must look to put the clampers on the Red Hand attack, an aspect of their game which has let the down in recent outings.
“ At the moment we are just haemorrhaging too many scores when the opposition gets a run on us.
“We have to learn to stay in the game and see that out. With the new rules when the opposition gets momentum you just have to figure out how to stay in the game.”
