Louth captain Sam Mulroy says that it was important to embrace the feelgood factor around the county, but preparation for a huge upcoming test against Dublin in the Leinster SFC final quickly became their key priority.
"It's great to get to Croke Park for the final but there is no point in being there if you don’t go out to win the game," Mulroy told RTÉ Sport.
"We are not delusional; we know we are up against a team that has dominated Leinster for the past 12 years, but we have to back ourselves at the same time," he added, speaking at the announcement of a five-year extension of AIB’s sponsorships of the GAA All-Ireland Football Championship, AIB Club Championships and AIB Camogie All-Ireland Club Championships.
"We know we are on a run, and we know we are playing one of the great counties but what’s the point in going to Croke Park Sunday week if we are not there to win it?"
As last Sunday’s end to end semi-final shootout with Offaly unfolded, Mulroy played a key role in shooting the side to their first Leinster final since the controversial 2010 decider against Meath.
He scored 0-06, including two frees, which is incredible considering he sustained a Grade 2 hamstring injury in Louth’s Division 2 league win over Kildare on 5 March.
Additional damage to a tendon involved a 12-week spell on the sidelines and ruled him out of the end of the league.
But Mulroy, an incredible athlete and the owner of Sam Mulroy Fitness, made his way back into the Louth team after only seven weeks.
He really burst into life as the game went into extra-time.
"Look, it took a while but I am well ahead of where I should be," he says.
"Obviously, you are there to score but there are other ways you can help the team too."
In that regard, how much has he learned since Harte took over a couple of years ago?
"I feel I’ve added to my game," he says.
"I am a forward but I spent a lot of the league around midfield and even at centre-back.
"Mickey’s thinking was if there was a mass defence around me and the ball wasn't coming in why would I be left inside. I love getting on the ball so it was good to have that experience further back the field and it stood to me."
In the past Mulroy has spoken of wanting to leave a legacy in the Louth set-up. Obsessed with football, he says everything else is taking a back seat at the moment.
"Louth are going well, we are in a Leinster final and then there is the round-robin series to look forward to.
"Big games are coming thick and fast and it is an absolutely incredible time for us here in Louth.
"You look back to the day Mickey was appointed and you wondered even then if the news was true.
"We were down and we wondered why he would want to come here.
"But he came in, we went to work early, got our fitness up, developed our shape, targeted league promotions to get used to playing higher opposition teams so we could challenge in Leinster and get to days like the ones that are coming up.
"The squad did everything Mickey asked and they did everything Gavin Devlin asked because we know we are getting somewhere," he added.
In recent years Louth have reached Division 2 under current chairman Peter Fitzpatrick and the highly regarded Colin Kelly.
But they have not surged from there.There is a thinking that this period is their best chance.
"All I wanted to do when I was younger was obviously to play for Louth. We know that these days everything is working for us. We have an unreal set-up and spirit. It’s the best of times to be a Louth footballer. We have to get the maximum from it."
Watch the Connacht and Munster Football Championships finals, Galway v Sligo and Kerry v Clare, from 1.15pm on Sunday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport or listen to live commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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