First round of action in Louth knockouts

THE ENTERTAINMENT level was off the scale in Innovate Wexford Park on Tuesday as Louth somehow prevailed in a truly epic encounter.

The young Reds and their large following celebrated joyously at the sounding of the last whistle which ensured their spot in the decider after a gap of 46 years.

This was an end-to-end clash full of positive football, flowing moves and well-taken scores, with a fair share of dodgy defending and poor decision-making thrown into the mix for good measure.

With supporters nerves frayed to the limit, extra-time beckoned when Jamie Myler registered his seventh pointed free in the 59th minute to leave Wexford one behind. But a dogged Louth team hung on through some amazing late drama.

There was a black card for Wexford’s Dylan Lyne after a sideline challenge on Alan Connor, with Louth mentor Shane Lennon also nursing a sore leg afterwards as the momentum of the two players led to an unavoidable collision.

Louth had a chance for an insurance score one minute into added time but Conor Morgan’s fisted effort fell tamely into netminder Darragh Brooks’ grasp.

Just over 60 seconds later, substitute Adam Cantwell hung a high cross from the left towards the far post where back-pedalling Louth netminder Alan McGauley knocked it into the path of Diarmuid Kehoe.

The New Ross lad’s instinctive shot was blocked for a ‘45, and there was a collective intake of breath as Jamie Myler tried to force extra-time. His effort veered right but was kept in play on the endline by Matthew Banville, with Louth eventually conceding a free for overcarrying very close to the right sideline.

Everyone bar goalkeeper Brooks manned the Louth half at this stage, but the angle was impossible for Myler to have a pop at the posts.

However, the crossfield free was intercepted, leading to a breakaway which nearly ended in a Wee county goal after John Gallagher beat Ben Maddock to the ball on Wexford’s 45-metre line.

Brooks, a long way from his net, came to the rescue, and there was one last chance to mount an attack. Seán Nolan pumped the ball in, but it was caught by Louth full-back Philip Trainor and the final whistle after 34 minutes and 21 seconds provoked vastly contrasting emotions.

The visitors had dominated the early stages in terms of possession, but didn’t make it pay on the scoreboard. Indeed, Wexford were mush more economical in attack and opened a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 18 minutes.

Louth were given a lifeline though when John Gallagher and Alan Connor combined before the former played the ball across goal for Conor Gillespie to finish to the net from close range.

Centre-back Eoghan Callaghan added an inspiring point to close the gap to three, only for Seán Nolan to cancel it out from a Myler pass in the 25th minute (1-6 to 1-3).

A gilt-edged Wexford goal chance was followed by three Louth points in a row from Conor Gillespie, John Gallagher (‘45 and play), but Wexford ended the half ahead by 1-7 to 1-5 after Dylan Lyne’s rising shot flew over the bar after Jimmy Sutton initially hit the post from a point attempt in added time.

The second-half was a classic, with the teams scoring a combined tally of 4-13 and only hitting four wides in the process (three to Louth).

Jimmy Sutton pointed inside 30 seconds, but the porous Wexford full-back line was exposed from the kick-out as Liam Jackson and Gillespie linked up before Gallagher’s handpass across goal was finished to the net at the back post by Gerry Garland (2-5 to 1-8).

The sides traded points until Louth struck for a third goal in the 43rd minute. Garland provided the finishing touch once again, this time after Gillespie struck the crossbar. Gallagher widened the margin to five from a free, but Wexford weren’t done yet. A brilliant movement at pace saw the ball pass through a number of hands from back to front before Sutton placed Seán Nolan to hare away at goal and plant an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net (3-10 to 2-12).

It was a near-frenzy excitement at this stage, even more so when Nolan levelled.

But Louth’s goal-scoring penchant continued when Conor Gillespie side-footed home his second major (4-10 to 2-13). wexford pushed hard in the closing stages but Louth held on to seal a famous win. LOUTH: Alan McGauley; Alan Connor (0-1), Philip Trainor, Dan Corcoran; Leonard Grey, Eoghan Callaghan (capt., 0-1), James O’Reilly; Liam Jackson (0-2), Conor Morgan; Gerry Garland (2-0), Conor Gillespie (2-2), Keelan O’Neill; Ciarán Keenan (0-1 free), Ferghal Malone, John Gallagher (0-3, 1 ‘45, 1 free). Subs. - Ben Mooney for O’Neill (39), Conor Nicholson for Malone (50), Shane Hickey for Garland (51), Nicky Browne for O’Reilly (56).