Though they will meet in Division Three next year - they travel there from different directions - Carlow and Louth looked worlds apart in their Leinster Football Championship opening game on Sunday.
It was an 11-point win for Carlow, who were promoted from the National League basement for the first time in 33 years this season. While Turlough O'Brien's side enjoyed success, it was very much the opposite for Louth in Division Two where they lost all seven of their games.
Despite that far from ideal preparation, Louth manager Pete McGrath said at the Leinster Championship launch nearly a fortnight ago that his team would be going into the game full of confidence.
In an RTÉ interview broadcast following the Sunday Game highlights of the match, McGrath left no doubt where he felt the blame lay for the performance - it was firmly with the players.
"That was so disappointing in a game that for periods in the first half we controlled and were playing very well," said McGrath.
We just imploded in the second half and whenever that happens in championship football, serious questions have to be asked about players and their attitude and their ambition; what they hope to achieve as individual players.
In that second half today, I'm afraid it was very, very, very poor; very disappointing and exceptionally discouraging.
You can watch Pete McGrath's interview on The Sunday Game below.
"Serious questions have to be asked about players" pic.twitter.com/4wVcR3SI08
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) May 14, 2018
