ONE-MAN SHOW NOT ENOUGH AS WEE COUNTY CRASH OUT
SO the 2020 Leinster SFC campaign ended in a trudged, dreary two-point defeat for the Louth footballers in front of no-one but themselves against familiar foes Longford in TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar on Sunday.
The game was there for the taking, but Louth couldn’t grasp it. A combination of an over-reliance on Sam Mulroy and, bizarrely, an under-use of the Naomh Mairtin man’s talents was to blame for their downfall in atrocious conditions.
Mulroy’s feat of being Louth’s only scorer on the day will long be remembered, but his teammates didn’t provide him with the service or support his performance deserved in order to advance.
A brace of points from substitute Robbie Smyth swung the first-round affair in the midlanders’ favour, and Smyth was another example of Longford possessing a greater ability to find the target from play, and that was the decisive factor.
Louth lacked creativity in their play and the previous week’s win over Down proved a false dawn in terms of confidence. Longford man-marked centre back Eoghan Callaghan from the off, with wing back Colm P Smyth carrying out the assigned task.
With one of Louth’s best ball players nullified, Callaghan’s teammates continuously took the wrong option, and despite starting the game promisingly Louth found themselves trailing 1-2 to 0-1 after eight minutes.
The goal was a real hammer blow for Louth. With numbers in place and a blanket formed, impressive midfielder Darren Gallagher still found sufficient space to drive through and fire to the net.
The goal was carved through quick hands and direct running by his centre-field partner Kevin Diffley and the aforementioned Colm P Smyth.
The response duly came from Mulroy with his second free of the half, but the effort expended to close the gap would take its toll on Wayne Kierans’ side. Longford dictated the terms of engagement across their half back line and happily soaked up Louth’s lateral play.
With the Wee County dominating possession they eventually found a breakthrough. Conall McKeever worked the ball in the left corner alongside Mulroy and the Mairtins man drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner which rattled the butt of the post along the way in across the line.
Gallagher and Mulroy then traded scores, showing supreme leadership for their respective sides, but against the run of play Daniel Mimnagh sneaked Longford ahead 1-5 to 1-4 at the turn.
Scores were so hard to navigate in the slippery underfoot conditions and howling rain, but Rian Brady provided another example of Longford’s greater application of skill to push Padraic Davis’ side further ahead.
Louth worked the ball up the field time and again through wing backs John Clutterbuck and Anthony Williams. They would combine to create Louth’s best goal chance, but Paddy Collum was very quick off his line to save from Williams at the near post. Mulroy landed the resultant 45’.
Despite missing the goal chance, that passage of play was Louth’s most adequate and they took the lead in the 52nd minute through a left-footed Mulroy effort. However, the water break then seemed to halt the Reds’ growing momentum.
Robbie Smyth introduced himself to the game by manifesting a well-taken mark. The Abbeylara man had great joy against Louth in the past and his presence up front gave Longford a spark and sense of purpose.
Mulroy would defiantly level again, but that would be the end of his tally for the day. With the game coming to a crux, Longford’s greater sense of urgency forced them to turn Louth over and punish them on numerous occasions.
Gallagher made the biggest play. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, as he turned over Callaghan and then gave them the lead they would not lose.
With Louth desperately forcing and chasing the game, Smyth enviously popped the ball over the bar to seal the deal and abruptly end Louth’s miserable season once and for all.
LONGFORD: Paddy Collum; Paddy Fox, Andrew Farrell, Barry O’Farrell; Donal McElligott,Gary Rogers, Iarla O’Sullivan, Darren Gallagher 1-3 (2f), Kevin Diffley; Daniel Mimnagh 0-1, Colm P Smyth, Dessie Reynolds; Rian Brady 0-2, Liam Connerton 0-1, Joseph Hagan. Subs: Daragh Doherty for Hagan (35), Robbie Smyth 0-2 (1m) for Reynolds (50), Peter Lynn for O’Sullivan (60), Aidan McGuire for Connerton (72).
LOUTH: Craig Lynch; Dan Corcoran, Dermot Campbell, Kevin Carr; Anthony Williams, Eoghan Callaghan, John Clutterbuck; Tommy Durnin, Bevan Duffy; Liam Jackson, Ciarán Keenan, Conall McKeever; Patrick Reilly, Sam Mulroy 1-8 ( 5f, 145’), Conor Whelan. Subs: Paul Mathews for Whelan (h-t), Conor Grimes for Keenan (50) Emmet Carolan for Duffy (50), Gerry Garland for McKeever (63), Ger McSorley for Reilly (68).
REFEREE David Coldrick (Meath)