Royal rumble is a timely target for ragged Reds
ALLIANZ LEAGUES
LOUTH edged into the Division 3A final and a promotion decider with Warwickshire in the most dramatic of circumstances in Castleblayney on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds had to avoid defeat and hope other results went their way, but they couldn’t have cut it any finer in pipping Tyrone to second spot on the headto-head rule.
Warwickshire held up their end of the bargain by beating Roscommon, but there were some anxiety for the Louth camp as they waited for that result to filter through on social media.
From their point of view the Reds simply had to avoid defeat against Monaghan and Philip O’Brien’s men delivered - but only just.
They were good enough and created sufficient opportunities to win the game, but there was still palpable relief when the final whistle arrived.
In the circumstances a draw was as good as a win as they still needed a favour from Warwickshire and it was clear from the start that it would go right to the wire.
The Reds led by 0-11 to 1-6 at the break, but despite being reduced to 14 men before the break, Monaghan made the better start to the second period to edge in front.
But Niall Arthur, arguably the find of the season at any grade, settled Wee County nerves with a 50th minute goal for the Reds.
That set up a nervy finale, but Louth managed to edge in front before Niall Garland rescued a point for the Farney men at the death. MONAGHAN: Patrick Bermingham; Jamie Guinan, Kevin Crawley, Brian Flanagan; Niall Garland 0-3, Patrick Finnegan, Martin Murphy; Mark Treanor 1-0, Peter Treanor; Fergal Rafter 0-8f, Aaron Kenny, Shane McNally; Cormac McNally 0-1, Eamonn Collins, Brian McGuigan 0-1. Subs: Pádraic McGahon, Conor Boyle
LOUTH: Stephen Hackett; Mark Wallace, Mike Lyons, Conor Matthews; Stephen Kettle, Ronan Byrne 0-2f, Andrew McCrave; Donal Ryan, Mark Molloy 0-1; Niall Arthur 1-8 (4f), Gerry Arthur, Gerard Smyth 0-1; Seaghan Conneely, Shane Callan 0-1, Paddy Lynch. AFTER five straight defeats and performances that have deteriorated by the game, there’s really only one opponent and one fixture that could breathe some life back into Louth’s doomed National League campaign.
A Royal Rumble!
Regardless of their respective plights or predicaments, Louth/Meath derbies always set the pulse racing, and with both counties’ Division 2 status very much on the line next Sunday, there is plenty at stake too.
Amazingly Louth are still hanging on, but they’ll need to find some form fast and avail of a couple of big favours to avoid relegation.
It’s still a mission impossible for the Reds, but their Royal neighbours come to Drogheda in a bit of a bind too.
If the hosts were to pull off a shock and both Clare and Down managed to win too, Meath would join Louth in Division 3 next term.
From the Reds’ point of view it’s all about salvaging some pride and re-building confidence for the Championship and full forward Conor Grimes believes a derby date with Meath in Drogheda could be the perfect platform to re-launch a disappointing season.
‘We’ve got Meath at home next week and that’s always going to be a competitive fixture,’ he said after Sunday’s heavy defeat to Tipperary. ‘Meath at home is a game you want to be involved in and want to be playing, so hopefully we can pull ourselves together and Meath at home is a great way to start doing that.’
The Royals cross the Boyne on the back of three straight defeats, but will still be hot favourites to add to Louth’s misery. However, Grimes feels that could be to Louth’s advantage.
‘There won’t be too many people giving us much of a chance over the rest of the league so maybe that’s a chance to let off the shackles and Meath is where it’s going to have to start. We have to start building for the Championship and Carlow is not going to be an easy game.’
The Glen Emmets clubman echoed Pete McGrath’s sentiments in the build-up to the Tipp game, insisting that poor form and results hurt.
In their previous games Louth have competed with their opponents at various stages, but on Sunday they barely raised a whimper.
‘It’s not easy for anyone involved, players, supporters, people following the team, but we’ll try our very best to turn things around.
‘It’s not the way you want to be ending a league campaign, so it’s extremely disappointing. But you have the Championship coming and we just have to try and turn it around somehow. It’s not an easy situation for anyone to be in, but it’s time to stand up. We’re all men in there in the dressing room and you have to take it on the chin. It’s obviously not the way we planned the campaign to go, but we’re going to try and turn it around.’
Once again, a disastrous start cost Louth dearly and Grimes admitted that Division 2 has been a steep learning curve.
‘We don’t give ourselves much of a chance, especially giving away an easy goal and falling 1-3 down pretty much straight after the ball has been thrown in. It’s something we’ve addressed week in and week out, but it’s hard out there and it’s simple mistakes and simple things that are killing us.
‘Credit to Tipp and all of the teams in this division, when you get the ball anywhere close to goal they have two or three men on you and it might look easy from the sideline, but it’s definitely not. From that point of view you have to give credit to the opposition, but we know ourselves that we’re off the pace and we know we’re making silly mistakes.
‘Going forward we certainly need to up our game. We’re not creating enough chances and silly mistakes are killing us in every game. I don’t think we’ve scored enough in any game and I don’t think we’ve even taken enough shots in any game. It’s something we have to look at going forward.’
A win over old foes Meath could work wonders and Grimes feels it’s up to the experienced players in the squad to lead by example.
‘The atmosphere was so good at the start of the year coming off back-to-back promotions, but it’s just been a difficult season. But this is a good bunch of lads, it’s a young team with a lot of inexperience in different positions, so it’s a huge learning curve. But there is experience in the team too, and those lads will just have to stand up and be counted over the next few weeks. We got ourselves into this situation and it’s up to us to dig ourselves out of it over the next six or eight weeks.’