On the 100th appearance for his county, Bevan Duffy made a significant contribution to Louth's Leinster quarter-final victory over Wexford in Portlaoise.
Now just 70 minutes away from a second successive provincial decider, the Wee County will take on Kildare in a fortnight, with Dublin and Offaly on the other side of the draw.
Captain Sam Mulroy was the key figure on Sunday, plundering 2-04 against the Yellowbellies, including a pair of expertly-taken penalties, but it was a memorable day also for 37-year-old Duffy.
Can the Play of the Day be a couple of converted penalties? It can when Louth captain Sam Mulroy is the man dispatching them. #thesundaygame pic.twitter.com/O88PBSBrkb
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 14, 2024
Somewhat of a late bloomer to inter-county football when he made his Louth bow in 2015 aged 25, the St Feckin’s man was introduced 10 minutes into the second half for his 100th senior appearance.
"When I first played for Louth, I didn’t think I’d ever do it (reach 100 appearances)," he said.
"It was never really in my mind, but as the years went on, the caps started adding up. It’s great. It’s a huge honour to play for Louth and something I am very proud of.
"There are a few others who have been there as long as I have and there have been some rough days."
The county has enjoyed an upswing in fortunes in recent years, Mickey Harte leading the team from Division 4 to within a whisker of Division 1, while last year they reached a Leinster final for the first time in a dozen years.
Harte’s surprise departure to Derry was seen as a huge blow, but Ger Brennan is hoping to build upon that impressive body of work.
Asked what it is that keeps him coming back every year, Duffy insisted it was all to due with his competitive spirit.
"I love the challenge of it all," he said. "The challenge of playing at the highest level, competing against the best teams.
"We are at the stage now where we are competing against the best teams."
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
