Louth back to drawing board as the Rossies rule the roost

ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 3A

Roscommon Louth 3-18 1-12

ROSCOMMON halted Louth’s fine run of form in 2019 with an comphrehensive opening day success in the National Hurling League Division 3A in Clan Na Gael Park, Dundalk.

Despite Louth picking up the Kehoe Shield a fortnight ago in Darver, Roscommon ripped up the form book with an unforgiving twelve point win.

With the winds at their back, Gearóid Egan twice and Conor Mulry found the net in the opening half, there was only going to be one winner from that point forward. Especially given the form Shane Curley was in, putting on a virtuoso 11 point cameo from midfield.

Ciaran Comerford’s sides intricate passing and ability to selflessly find the new primrose and blue jersey at times with simple handpassing was as effective as it was spellbounding.

Louth were honest about their work and another day some the opportunities Roscommon goalie Noel Fallon saved in the first half go in and the more slender the gap at the half the better the chance of winning this tie appears.

However Curley was quite impressive from the outset, finding the target with eye catching strikes in the crisp Dundalk morning sunshine as Roscommon opened with five points on the trot. Padraig Kelly and Darragh Heavey topped up Curleys first free.

Louth’s only response to the blitz was free’s from the trusty Darren Geoghegan. The Moninne man found the target three times in the first half.

Roscommon’s response was to fire in their first goal, a lovely hand passing move involving Kelly, Hugh Rooney and late inclusion Cillian Egan who took the shot, but the save fell kindly to namesake Gearóid to tap home.

With Curley nailing every free Louth were constantly kept at arms length. Kelly turned instigator again from the puck out setting up Conor Mulry for a goal.

David Kettle really dug in for Louth at this point claiming eye catching high balls off his own puck outs his industry was not rewarded as he was swapped upon Cathal Minogue’s late goal was in vain.

landing but the endeavour was there from the Knockbridge man.

Four Roads man Curley then turned provider his long range free pinged the upright and Gearóid Egan was on hand again to finish. It summed up Roscommon’s sped of thought compared to the opposition’s on the day.

At half time it was 3-11 to 0-4 and no way back for the home side. Louth’s first point from play eventually came on the 35th minute from Gerard McKeown.

Start of the second half Padraig Kelly was really enjoying his days work and on the back of some sublime build up play notched his third and final point of the day.

Roscommon took their foot off the gas and it was Louth’s turn to make use of the strong breeze and actually keep Comerford’s men scoreless for a quarter of an hour.

Louth manager Paul McCormack changed things up instigating their own purple patch with three substitutions and as a result showed spirit firing off four in a row wing back Andy McCrave saddled over the bar with an audacious effort from the wing. He would later be forced off with injury.

Jamie McDonnell found the target before being replaced by the returning Shane Callan and this purple patch from the hosts was rounded off with a brace from Conor Deane.

Curley shocked his troops back into action with two frees and a superb Conor Mulry effort after a

driving solo run made it 3-15 to 8 with a little over ten to play.

Louth wingback Stephen Kettle then picked up a straight red for a high tackle to rub salt into the wounds. Geoghegan did find the target again and David Kettle was rewarded for efforts with a point.

However Mulry showed no mercy with two further efforts before Louth substitute Cathal Minogue added a gloss to the scoreboard at the death, scrambling past sub goalkeeper Cormac Miley.

Louth will learn from it going forward and strong second half showing will put test to that. Down the spine of defence Pearse Og pair of Mike Lyons and Ger Smyth will feel their performances didn’t owe to that margin of defeat.

Back to the drawing board for Louth who after an unbeaten run of three games in a row have a tough assignment away to Tyrone next weekend.

ROSCOMMON: N Fallon; A Moore, P Nolan, H Rooney; J Donnelly, E Flanagan, C Coyle; S Curley (0-11, 8 frees), D Heavey (0-1); C Dolan, C Mulry (1-3), P Kelly (0-3); G Egan (2-0), J Murray, C Egan. Subs: M Kellehan for Murray (61), C Miley for Fallon (68).

LOUTH: D Connolly; P Challoner, M. Lyons, A. Smyth; S. Kettle, G. Smyth, A. McCrave (0-1); J. Costelloe, C Deane (02); D. Geoghegan (0-5, 5 frees), D. Kettle (0-1), J. McDonnell (0-1); G. McKeown (0-1), S Connelly, D. Stephenson. Subs: S Callan for McDonnell (42), F Joyce for McCrave (45), D O’Hanrahan (0-1) for Costelloe (50), S Hoey for Deane (61), C Minogue (1-0) for G McKeown (67).

REFEREE: A Ferguson (Fermanagh)