‘War’ not lost as Louth face key Longford battle
Louth 1-16 Warwickshire 3-19
LOUTH face a do-or-die clash with Longford this weekend following Saturday’s disappointing ninepoint defeat to Warwickshire in Dowdallshill. Philip O’Brien’s side battled well for 35 minutes but ultimately ran out of steam against a well-oiled Warwickshire machine.
Louth knew they were in for a tough challenge having succumbed to the exiles in the division 3A league final back in March and that task was made all the more difficult when they found out they were unable to pick Niall or Gerry Arthur, the Clare brothers who had starred for Louth during their league campaign.
The duo’s exemption to play for Louth was overturned last week by the CCC which left manager Philip O’Brien’s plans in disarray. Niall in particular has been a revelation since joining up with Louth scoring a massive 7-50 in just six league matches for his adopted county.
The home side began well and took an early lead through a magnificent point from captain Shane Callan who caught a high ball before turning and splitting the posts in the blink of an eye to put Louth in front early on. Both sides traded points until Warwickshire struck the first real blow of the game scoring a slightly fortuitous goal to go two points clear after twelve minutes. Paul Hoban’s long ball into the box caused confusion in the Louth defence and ended up hitting the roof of the net following the slightest of deflections off Shane Caulfield’s stick.
Louth hit back ten minutes later as a long ball into the Warwickshire square was skilfully volleyed into the back of the net by full forward David Kettle.
Warwickshire’s Niall McKenna scored two frees late in the half to give his side a two-point cushion once again but Louth had the last say of an entertaining first half with points from Ronan Byrne and Seaghan Connelly ensuring the sides went in level at 1-9 apiece at the break.
Louth got off to a good start in the second half with Shane Callan leading by example by scoring a fine point from way out on the left to put his side a point clear. Unfortunately for Louth they failed to score for the next twenty minutes during which time Warwickshire hit 2-7 to put the game to bed.
Warwickshire’s first goal came five minutes into the second half as Niall McKenna played in Garry Lennon who blasted the ball into the back of the net from close range. Ten minutes later War- wickshire scored a third as poor defending by Louth allowed the alert Kelvin McGee to nip in ahead of goalkeeper Stephen Hackett before finding the back of the net.
Warwickshire’s Domhnall Nugent was really coming to the fore during this purple patch for the visitors and the young Antrim man scored his fourth point of the game to put seven points between the sides with twenty minutes remaining.
A long-range Paul Hoban free from inside his own half extended the gap to twelve points with thirteen minutes remaining before Louth scored their first point in twenty minutes courtesy of a Ronan Byrne free.
With ten minutes remaining Louth were handed a lifeline when referee James Clarke awarded them a penalty but unfortunately for Ronan Byrne his low hard shot was well saved by Warwickshire goalkeeper Conor Robbins.
Man of the match Domhnall Nugent fittingly had the final say as he sent over his fifth point to seal a well-deserved nine point victory for the visitors.
WARWICKSHIRE: Conor Robbins; William Allen, Dean Bruen, Michael O’Regan; Peadar Scally, Paul Hoban (0-4, 3fs,1 65), Donncha Kennedy; John Collins (0-1), Paul Uniacke (0-2); Niall McKenna (0-5, 5fs), Domhnall Nugent (0-5), Niall Kennedy
(0-1); Garry Lennon (1-0), Shane Caulfield (1-1), Kelvin Magee (1-0). Subs: Pádraic Crehan for Paul Uniacke (61), Tom Kelly for Michael O’Regan (63), Breen Fallon for Garry Lennon (63), Robbie Curley for Donncha Kennedy (65), Ian Dwyer for Kelvin Magee (68)
LOUTH: Stephen Hackett; Stephen Kettle, Mike Lyons, Mark Wallace; Feidhelm
Joyce, Ronan Byrne (0-2, 2fs), Andrew McCrave; Donal Ryan (0-1), Mark Molloy; Paddy Lynch (0-6, 4fs), Shane Callan (0-2), Seaghan Connelly (0-2); Gerard Smyth (0-1), David Kettle (1-1), John Crosbie (0-1). Subs: Darren O’Hanrahan for John Crosbie (49), John Martin for Feidhelm Joyce (66).
REFEREE: James Clarke (Cavan).