Updated: Wednesday, 7th July, 2010 4:49pm

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Fitzpatrick aims to turn the dream into reality for the underdogs

by Jimmy Geoghegan

Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick.

Peter Fitzpatrick says he is savouring every minute of what he regards as the "dream" job managing the Louth senior footballers and admits he thought his chances of getting the top job in Louth had by-passed him.

The 48-year-old Dundalk man had applied for the Louth manager's job a number of times only to see it offered to others. Now he is about to lead his county into a Leinster final with the chance of ending a half century of pain and disappointment.

"It was a fantastic honour for me to lead the team out in Croke Park against Westmeath," he told the Meath Chronicle.

"All my dreams are being fulfilled at the moment, the only thing now is for the lads to lift the cup on Sunday.

"To be honest, I thought my chance was gone, most counties these days go for outside managers, then I got a phone call and I was told I was manager. It's a terror how things can happen."

He insists that all the talk of tradition favouring Meath and working against Louth will count for nothing when the action gets underway on Sunday.

"Once the ball is thrown-in and the game starts this thing about tradition, or underdogs or favourites means absolutely nothing.

"Both teams will be under pressure in their own way and at the end of the day the team who wants to win it most will win it," he said.

"Our goal at the start of the year was to get to a Leinster final. We've done that now and we aim to win the final, tradition means absolutely nothing."

Fitzpatrick was on the last Louth team to win a Leinster u-21 title in 1981 and now is hoping that he can be involved in boosting the Wee County to another notable success.

Despite what the tipsters might say, he insists that Louth have a real chance on Sunday.

The players are not short of self-belief and he has detected a steady improvement in his team's performances.

"It's a long time since Louth won three games in the championship and I feel that with every game we are getting better and better. All we know is that if we play to the best of our ability we can win," he added. This week he says, he has done nothing different with the players in terms of their preparations.

There will be no secluded training camps and reporters are free to talk to the players, anytime, anywhere.

Having won five Louth SFC finals with Clann na nGael, and lost a few as well, Fitzpatrick is well aware of what is needed to succeed when the pressure is on.

He says that nobody gave Louth credit for beating a strong Longford side in the opening round while Kildare and Westmeath were victories carved out against sturdy opponents.

With that CV, Fitzpatrick says that Louth don't need to go into Sunday's game with any inferiority complex. They have earned their place in the final.

There are no superstars in the team, he added, everyone is treated the same and this has helped to foster a robust team spirit.

Some might be ruling out Louth on Sunday - not their manager.