Laois man and new Longford football manager Billy O'Loughlin has high hopes for 2022

The 36-year-old is a relative unknown in Longford. Various names were being bandied about in relation to the post in recent weeks, but it is safe to say O’Loughlin’s was not one.

Not since the 1980’s, when a young Monaghan native named Brendan Hackett was appointed Longford manager, has such a fresh face emerged to take the position.

O’Loughlin was recently in charge of Sarsfields in Kildare and in 2013, he coached a DIT side to win the Sigerson Cup.He has also led Laois to a Leinster U-20 football final in 2019. 

 So, what attracted him to the Longford job?

 “I believe that there is a lot of potential in Longford football. There are some good, experienced players there and last year there was a good U-20 team. Longford have done well at underage in recent times and punched above their weight,” he commented when speaking to the Leader. 

O’Loughlin is clear in his immediate ambition for this Longford team. “We will be looking to get out of Division 3. Longford have been competitive in this division. 

Experienced players such as Mickey Quinn and Darren Gallagher will hopefully help to bring the younger lads on,” he stated.

“We are well equipped to perform well in Division 3,” he added.

O’Loughlin’s native county Laois will be one of Longford's opponents in the forthcoming league campaign.

 “I would know a lot of the Laois lads (he still plays club football in his home county), and I would have coached them at underage,” he explained.

O’Loughlin believes that one of Longford’s strengths is their capacity to get results, particularly against higher ranked opposition. 

“Longford beat Meath in the Leinster championship here a few years ago and there is an ability there to get results. The standard of football in the Leader Cup Final was high, from both older and younger players,” he commented.

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In terms of underage talent in Longford, O’Loughlin points to success for St Mel’s College at U-14 level in recent times and also Longford only losing narrowly to Westmeath at U-20 level this year as examples of young players that will hopefully come through the system.

“Hopefully, some of those lads will come through to senior level and generally speaking, I look forward to trying out some young players in the forthcoming O’Byrne Cup,” he stated.

There is less than a month until Longford start the 2022 season with an O’Byrne Cup fixture at home against Louth on Saturday January 8. O’Loughlin is aiming to have young players prepared as best as possible in the next few weeks.

“It is a short time to prepare for the O’Byrne Cup and it is heavy winter conditions. But we will try to have lads prepared as best as we can, without overdoing it, given the time of year,” he explained.

How will a Longford team play under the new management? O’Loughlin believes in a sound defence but is also keen that the ball would be moved quickly up the field.

“You could see that in the Leader Cup final that the ball was being moved fairly quickly up the field and that sort of transition from defence to attack is what we are aiming for. We would be looking to get the ball quickly into the forwards,” he stated.

“There is some great attacking talent in Longford,” he added.

O’Loughlin has brought an extensive backroom set-up with him, as is now normal in inter-county football.

Michael Hannon (coach), who managed DIT, and Paul Brady (who will work on a one-to-one level with the players) are both known to Longford supporters, given their spells as Cavan county senior players.

However, the Strength and Conditioning Coach is a 23-year-old, who comes with a strong reputation.

“Daniel Doherty is a native of Co. Tyrone. He has worked recently with Castleford Tigers in Rugby League. He is very well qualified,” he explained.

Former Mayo player Aidan Kilcoyne is also in the coaching set-up.

The new manager has the seal of approval from no less than the legendary Mick O’Dwyer! The Waterville man is a family friend, with Billy’s father Declan working as a selector with Micko when Laois won the Leinster senior football title in 2003.

“He wished me well on the phone and he recalled some battles that he had with Longford when he was both Laois and Kildare manager. His first game as Laois manager was in the 2003 O’Byrne Cup, with Longford winning that game,” he recalled.

Two selectors, as of yet unnamed, from Longford are to be added to the management soon with the opening National League Division 3 fixture away against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday January 29.