Louth full value for opening day win

EVERYONE loves a January bargain and Louth were excellent value for money in their first assignment of 2017 on Sunday.

There weren’t too many around Cusack Park to witness it, but it was as comprehensive as a onepoint victory can be, with Westmeath flattered to still be in with a shout of snatching something from the contest in the closing stages.

That will be Colin Kelly’s only real gripe as his troops bid to emerge from the O’Byrne group stages this week with follow-up clashes against Maynooth on Wednesday and Carlow on Sunday afternoon.

Defensively his team was superb and by and large transitions from defence to attack were slick and incisive, but the Reds just weren’t clinical enough in the final third to put Westmeath away in the second-half.

But with attacking talent like Jim McEneaney, Ryan Burns, Andy McDonnell and Eoin O’Connor still to report for duty, it’s not a concern that will keep the manager awake at night.

Beating back-to-back Leinster Louth 7 (2 in first-half); Westmeath 6 (4 in first-half) Louth 13 (5), Westmeath 16 (6) Louth 1; Westmeath 0 Louth - C McKeever (35+); Westmeath - P Holloway (6). Louth - C Martin (10),D Maguire (49), D Marks (66); Westmeath - J Dolan (11). None finalists in their own back yard is no mean feat even if Westmeath will be kicking their heels in Division 4 this spring.

In fact, they are exactly the standard of opposition Louth can expect to face in the third tier next month and on the evidence of this display, and with a few tweaks to fine tune, supporters can be reasonably optimistic.

The other facet of the performance that Kelly may feel needs a bit of work was the length of time it took his team to settle.

They only managed one point in the opening quarter and didn’t kick their second until the 24th minute.

Sound defence ensured Westmeath couldn’t take advantage, but if Shane Dempsey had shown a bit more composure when oneon-one with Craig Lynch in the 13th minute, the game could well have veered on a different course. His goal miss early in the second-half will no doubt be brought up by his teammates a few times in Darver this week, but that incident apart the Dreadnots man was superb in defence and attack. The mark certainly didn’t live up to it’s name as the new rule barely registered at Cusack Park. Bevan Duffy may have called one early on, but played on so quickly it was hard to tell and Paddy Holloway similarly slowed down enough to suggest he was taking one in the second-half. But as rule changes go, the ‘mark’ is unlikely to make a blind bit of difference to the modern infatuation with possession football. Louth can set one foot in the semi-finals if they beat Maynooth on Wednesday night. They also need to take something from their game against Carlow on Sunday, depending on score difference, but two wins would certainly see them through. Westmeath face Carlow on Wednesday and need Louth to slip up at some stage.

As it happened Lynch stood up well and saved a feeble enough shot with his legs and moments later Louth drew level at 0-1 apiece through Paraic Smith.

Both sides had already lost a man at that stage, when bizarrely Conor Martin and James Dolan were black-carded in the same incident. Martin seemed to be punished for checking Dolan’s run for a return pass, but the Garrycastle man paid the price for dragging Martin to the ground in frustration and could probably feel a bit hard done by.

With James Califf emerging from the bench to kick a couple of points, the incident didn’t overly hurt Louth’s cause, but they fell two points adrift as Dempsey went some way to making amends for his goal miss and John Heslin converted his second free of the match.

Westmeath largely dictated the pace and tempo during those opening exchanges, but Louth slowly found their rhythm.

A fine move involving Anthony Williams and Ronan Holcroft teed Tommy Durnin up for a nice score.

Kieran Martin kept the gap at two, replying straight away and Paddy Holloway did likewise, cancelling out a Califf free to leave it 0-5 to 0-3 on the half hour.

It was around that stage that Louth started to take control and Padraig Rath closed the deficit to the minimum.

The Reds were starting to punch holes in the home rearguard and Paraic Smith forced David Bryan in to a superb save.

But a turnover from a Westmeath kick-out minutes later presented Ronan Holcroft with the chance to level matters and the dead-eyed St Fechin’s man obliged.

Louth continued to pour forward and Smith was involved again, working space on the left of the goalmouth and picking out Conall McKeever at the back post.

The Clans’ tried to slap the ball home first time, but it was cleared off the line and a follow-up from Derek Crilly was also saved, but the Gaels man made no mistake with the third chance, drlling low and hard through a crowded square.

Smith should have put four between the sides at the interval, but after starting so slowly, Louth would have been delighted to adjourn with a 1-5 to 0-5 lead at the interval.

They allowed Hesline to pull one back after the break, but the visitors remained the better team and Holcroft and Crilly made it 1-7 to 0-6.

James Califf added another soon after, but only after his clubmate Anthony Williams was denied by the crossbar from a couple of yards out in front of an empty net.

That should have been curtains for Westmeath, but the let-off seemed to embolden them and a Heslin free and Callum McCormack point reduced the gap to three.

Louth were still dictating matters and passed up several chances to add to their lead over the next 10 minutes.

But they actually went 20 minutes without a score before a magnificent Declan Byrne effort put four between the sides again.

The introduction of Alex Gardiner made a difference for the hosts in the closing stages as he kicked two points to spearhead a last-gasp attempt to salvage something from the game.

Heslin also tapped over his fifth free of the day, but barring a goal, Louth never really looked like throwing it away.

The Reds will now be hot favourites to advance from Group B, with Maynooth and Carlow due to visit over the next four days.

Two more wins would seal a semi-final spot, most likely against neighbours Meath in a reapt of last year’s last four clash.