Craig Lennon living his best life as Louth hit rare heights

Louth's run to a first All-Ireland SFC quarter-final has been one of the stories so far from this year's championship.

Then again, should we be surprised? A rise up the league rankings from Division 4 to 2 and then being in contention on the last day in 2023 to reach the top tier is just part of what the Wee County have achieved.

Successive Leinster final appearances against Dublin also, with this year's renewal a lot tighter than most expected.

And then came the Sam Maguire race. The hurdle that was Kerry was a bit too high, but beating Meath, drawing with Monaghan and then last Sunday accounting for Cork has Louth in the last eight, there amongst the big boys. Ger Brennan carrying on the good work started by Mickey Harte.

Donegal lie in wait at GAA HQ on Sunday, a novel pairing.

The win over Cork saw defender Craig Lennon named player of the match, another accolade to add to the many picked up by the forward-turned-defender.

When asked by the assembled media to reflect on the campaign so far ahead of the clash with Jim McGuinness' side, the St Mochta's clubman accentuated the feel-good factor reverberating around the squad.

"I love summer football, love championship football. It's hard to put into words – the lads around you just make you better," he said.

"When you go up to Darver (Louth's Centre of Excellence) two, three times a week the lads improve you each session."

From his current positioning on the half-back line, Lennon has been on the end of moves that saw him bag important goals against Meath and Monaghan. An advocate then for the modern-day view that every position is interchangeable, and a player whose confidence is sky high.

"Thinking back to my goal against Monaghan, the first goal against Meath, it’s just pure