Mickey Harte hoping number is up for Wee County’s rotating goalkeeping dilemma

Louth have used three different goalkeepers in their four league games this season, with Mickey Harte hoping James Califf now proves to be the chock in that revolving door.

Louth’s Division Two campaign breaks down as: Four games, two wins, two defeats, three goalkeepers.

If you include the O’Byrne Cup, then four goalkeepers have started between the posts for Louth in 2023 – Declan Byrne, Martin McEneaney, Peter McStravick and Califf – the Wee County opting for a rather unconventional policy of deploying a rotating goalkeeper rather than a roaming one.

Of that quartet, only McEneaney plays in goal for his club with the other three better known as outfield players. Harte has gone back to the future in recalling Califf to try resolve Louth’s goalkeeping conundrum for a second time in the Tyrone man’s three years at the helm.

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Harte has tried a total of six different goalkeepers in competitive matches during his tenure with McEneaney starting the first two games of his reign during the 2021 league. The experienced Craig Lynch replaced McEneaney during that second league match and held the spot for the rest of the season.

But when Lynch announced his retirement in advance of the 2022 campaign, it created a void between the posts – one which Harte and his management team have been trying to fill ever since.

McEneaney and Niall Carrie featured in the 2022 O’Byrne Cup, with the former getting the nod for the first round of the league. However, after reviewing videos of Louth club championship matches, Gavin Devlin hit upon an offbeat idea – the Louth coach reckoned Califf, who had retired two years earlier after spending the best part of a decade in Louth’s midfield, could be reinvented as a goalkeeper.

“When I had him as a player he was playing in the middle of the field,” says former Louth manager Colin Kelly. “But I could understand why they looked at him in goal, he has a big physical presence, has a very high skill set and he’s a very intelligent player.”

Califf accepted Harte’s invite to rejoin the Louth squad, this time as a goalkeeper, and he started their round two league game last February against Longford. He remained there for the rest of 2022.

However, the goalkeeping problem arose for Harte again when Califf was unable to fully commit prior to this season – the Dreadnots clubman got married during the off season, has work commitments in Dublin, and is currently involved with the Louth minor football management set-up. So, Harte had to experiment again.

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Once more they asked a player to come out of retirement, this time Declan Byrne. Better known as a versatile forward, Byrne was given his goalkeeping bow in Louth’s first two O’Byrne Cup games this year – wins over Westmeath and Kildare. McEneaney started the O’Byrne Cup final defeat against Longford.

For the first league game, against Clare, Byrne was named in goal with McEneaney on the bench. But after issues with kickouts in that defeat, Harte threw another curveball that would ultimately see both Byrne and McEneaney leave the panel.

Seemingly unconvinced either would cut it, the Louth management reviewed their panel and examined who might have something to offer with regards an accurate long kick out. They landed on McStravick – another forward with no goalkeeping pedigree.

“You have to gamble a bit here and there,” said Harte at the time.

McStravick started the round two loss to Derry, with mixed fortunes, and also in Louth’s round three win over Limerick. But by that stage Califf had returned to the squad and was named on the bench against Limerick.

Last Sunday in Navan, Califf started against Meath. McStravick was the sub goalkeeper.

“I can’t really comment on what went on with the other goalkeepers as you don’t know unless you are involved,” adds Kelly.

“For Declan and Peter, they were starting out in Division Two, it was probably an advantage for James that when he first went in goal Louth were playing in Division Three.”

Plus, Califf does have some goalkeeping experience. In 2002 he was called up to train with the Manchester United academy in Lisburn. He played in goal for local soccer club, Walshestown FC, and after impressing in those academy trials, he played for Manchester United in the Foyle Cup that year – even saving a penalty that helped them through to the final.

Speaking after Louth’s win over Meath, Harte praised Califf for answering the call to go between the posts for the county again.

Kelly is also aware of Califf’s strengths from their respective involvements with the Dreadnots over the years, and feels his ability to adapt to the modern goalkeeping role makes him an asset to Louth.

“There are the stories of his budding soccer career with Man United, but Gaelic football was always his first port of call,” adds Kelly.

“He is very calm in possession and for a fellah who is about 6′ 7″, he’s a very good footballer, he can play off both sides. He’s an extremely good dead-ball kicker and last Sunday in Navan I thought he was excellent. I’d imagine he’ll probably be there for the rest of the season now, barring injuries. He’s a safe pair of hands.”

Kildare visit Ardee on Sunday in what is expected to be a pivotal day in Division Two, when the maths will become clearer for many teams.

For Louth, that should include more clarity who will be wearing their number one jersey for the rest of the season.