Mickey Harte has agreed to remain as Louth senior football manager until 2025.
The former Tyrone manager is currently in the second year of a three-year term, but such has been the improvement under Harte that the Louth County Board have extended that agreement by two further years.
Harte was appointed in 2020 almost immediately after he stepped down as Tyrone boss. The new deal will see him complete 22 consecutive years in inter-county management.
Last year saw Louth promoted to Division 3 of the Allianz Football League with a comfortable win over Carlow. This year they've adapted so well to life in the third tier that a point from this weekend's game against Wicklow will see the Wee County secure back-to-back promotions.
Louth chairman Peter Fitzpatrick told RTÉ Sport that they were not looking for a short-term fix, and wanted Harte to stick around.
"We want to have a steady train of improvement," said Fitzpatrick, "We do not want to be up and down the divisions or tiers.
"We wanted to show Mickey that we were giving a full commitment ourselves and we have done. He has been exceptional for us too. Gavin [Devlin]'s coaching is top-class. I have been involved forty years with Louth GAA and I never seen the buzz that is there now.
"The players are delighted that we had the balls to go and get someone like Mickey Harte in the first place. In turn, he has assembled a very young side and worked really hard with them. Things are motoring well, and we are thinking long term here."
The next big hurdle for Harte and co will be progress in the Leinster football championship. Last year they were beaten after extra-time in by Offaly in the preliminary round.
This year they'll play Carlow in the opening round, with a quarter-final against Kildare the carrot for the winners.
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