SPORT
24 PAGE PULLOUT T
LOUTH head for the mid-term break at the top of the class, but the headmaster and his young pupils would be forgiven for wanting to give the short sojourn a swerve this spring.
The games have been falling thick and fast since January 8, but the hectic schedule seems to suit the Reds as they grabbed sole leadership of Division 3 with their second League win on the trot against Longford on Sunday.
With six wins from seven games, played over as many weeks, they would probably prefer to head to Tullamore this Sunday and maintain that impressive momentum.
And yet, after Sunday’s exertions, a break might be no harm either.
It was the polar opposite of the opening night stroll in Portlaoise. This time the players had to roll their sleeves up and slog it out to the death, holding off a late Longford heave.
But victory was merited in the end, even if the match officials took the gloss off it with an unnecessary blunder.
Monaghan’s Niall McKenna wasn’t exactly flavour of the month in either camp over the course of the 70 minutes, but that was nothing compared to the wrath that poured his way when he blew for full-time after playing three extra minutes.
The problem being the fourth official had signalled four added minutes on his big black board.
Louth had just dropped a 45 short of the target and Longford thought they would have one last chance to rescue something from the game.
In McKenna’s defence it later emerged that the fourth official picked up his instructions wrong, and that three minutes was in fact the correct added time.
But the optics weren’t great, and Longford were quite rightly incensed.
Louth won’t be too concerned as they escaped with another precious victory.
Sticking to the traditional ‘onegame-at-a-time’ mantra another victory over Offaly on Sunday week would all but secure their Division 3 status, which is always a significant and important milestone for promoted teams.
But with seemingly no-one else firing on all cylinders, a promotion push has to be now firmly on the agenda too.
Similar to last year, the fixture computer appears to have left Louth’s really tough tests until last, but if they had eight points on the board after the trip to Tullamore and the visit of Antrim to Drogheda, they would be in pole position heading down the home stretch.
Those final three games are against Armagh (h), Tipperary (a) and Sligo, but results so far would suggest the Reds have nothing to fear from any team in a competitive league.
Colin Kelly feels Longford are as good as anything in the division and if he’s right this win may prove absolutely crucial in some the final reckoning.
With a bitterly cold and heavy east wind blowing from the hospital end, the conditions ensured it was never going to be a pretty contest.
Louth started with the breeze at their backs and they appeared to be motoring along nicely when Ryan Burns made it 0-5 to 0-1 with a superb catch and point in the 18th minute.
The Hunterstown man also converted three early frees before Paraic Smith kicked the first score from open play.
And with Kevin Carr striking the butt of an upright in the build-up to Smith’s point, Louth seemed to be making all the right noises again.
But in the final 20 minutes of the half, Longford dug their heels in and while they didn’t manage to score from play, Robbie Smyth’s accuracy and a spell of defensive dominance, prevented the home side from building a substantial lead.
Bevan Duffy and Derek Maguire did kick two fine scores in the lead-in to the interval, but Longford would have been more than happy to retire just four points in arrears, 0-7 to 0-4.
But playing against the breeze didn’t seem to faze Louth and Longford made no headway after the break.
In fact points from Tommy Durnin, Jim McEneaney and Andy McDonnell saw the home side extend their lead to five, 0-10 to 0-5 and then 0-11 to 0-6 after Robbie Smyth and Ryan Burns traded frees.
Louth were bound to pay for their high-energy approach in the third quarter and as the finish line approached Longford slowly chipped away at the deficit.
Padraig McCormack and Smyth made it 0-11 to 0-8 reasonably quickly, but crucially neither side scored for the next 10 minutes.
Derek Maguire could have put the issue to bed, but his point effort from close range fell on to the crossbar and was cleared, allowing Longford to break, win a free and close the gap to two 0-11 to 0-9.
Louth supporters were furious and fearing the worst when McKenna turned down what looked like solid appeals for a foul on Ronan Holcroft. The Fechin’s man should have released the ball sooner, but McKenna didn’t bite when he clattered from behind and 30 seconds later he gave Longford a ‘soft one’, which Sean McCormack converted.
Louth didn’t sit back, and perhaps sensing that attack was their best form of defence, they won a ‘45’ which Craig Lynch came forward to kick.
The ball dropped short and Longford were about to launch their last hurrah when McKenna signalled full-time, much to the anger of the Longford players, management and supporters.