‘Wee’ signs of improvement as Louth push league leaders

was blown down with the second storm in as many days, storm Ewan, also forcing the postponement of the other fixture in this division Tyrone versus Donegal.

It was Monaghan who opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a point from a free by Fergal Rafter. They were awarded a penalty soon after but despite finding the back of the net it was disallowed by the referee as he judged the penalty taker to have crossed the 20 metre line as he stuck the sliotar.

They did however net the game’s opening goal on 13 minutes when corner forward Tadhg Campbell took a pass from Ronan Curran to fire past keeper Stephen Hackett who was making his National League debut for the Wee County.

The visitors continued to have the better of the first half exchanges scoring four further points from the sticks of Rafter (2), midfielder Jamie Guinan and Ronan Curran, 1-5 to 0-0.

The home side did finally manage to open their account when they were awarded a 20 metre free in the first minute of added time which Diarmuid Murphy struck over but there was still time for the Monaghan keeper Hugh Byrne to fire over a long range free from his own 45 metre line to have his side leading by 1-6 to 0-1 at half time.

It did not take long for Louth to account for the opening score of the second half as Andrew McCrave found Diarmuid Murphy with a good past as the Naomh Moninne man fired over a good point from the right wing.

They added a goal from half time substitute Davy Mahony on 38 minutes as he soloed through to fire a low shot past the Castleblaney keeper Byrne and they were right back in the match a minute later when Paddy Lynch struck over another good point from 45 metres out, 1-6 to 1-3.

The home side should have added to their tally registering three successive wides before their opponents replied with their first point of the half when Fergal Rafter fired over a free on 45 minutes.

Louth centre half Seaghan Conneely wasted a good goal chance as the keeper saved his effort from close range while at the other end Tadhg Campbell added to his first half goal with a good point from play on 51 minutes.

The Wee County continued to create the better opportunities aided by the breeze and from a free awarded for a foul on Mahony it was Diarmuid Murphy who added to his tally with a point from the 50 metre free. A minute later centre half back Roger Maher fired over a terrific long range point from inside his own half.

Both sides had to play out the last ten minutes of the match with fourteen men when Louth’s Donal Ryan and Monaghan’s Jamie Guinan both picked up their second yellow cards from the Westmeath referee.

Louth managed to cut the arrears to just two points on 63 minutes when Murphy fired over his fourth point of the match but this was replied to shortly afterwards with another good point from the stick of Tadhg Campbell.

As the game entered added time, Rafter and Paddy Lynch (free) exchanged points and a late long range point from the hard working Andrew McCrave saw Louth coming up just short as Trevor Hilliards side held out for their third win of the campaign.

With this division being played out on a home and away basis these two teams will face each other again next Sunday afternoon with the game at Inniskeen throwing in at 2pm.