Minors push Dubs close

WITH just a quarter of an hour to go, it seemed Louth might be on course to pull off a shock victory over Dublin in the Leinster MFC group one clash in Parnell Park on bank holiday Monday.

Defender Tom Jackson had coolly dispatched the ball past Simon Murphy off Craig Lennon’s pass to edge the Wee County in front at that stage.

But almost immediatirtely the dream died as Dublin held the Reds scoreless for the rest of the game while replying with 3-6 at the other end.

The scoreline was perhaps a bit unfair on Louth when all was said and done. Conall McCaul had looked commanding in midfield after the break, although crucially Louth failed to capitalise off three successive possessions in the middle third.

And the wide count told its own story, with the visitors in double figures early in the second half.

Nonetheless, for three quarters of the game they were well in contention. The first half saw the game tied on six separate occasions before Dublin’s Mark Lavin finished the half as he started to edge Dublin a point in front - 8-7 - at the break.

From Louth’s point of view, Daire Nally had showed quite well at half forward, but first-half injuries to both Carl Gillespie and Ryan Walsh would impact on the Reds after the break.

While Matthew Dunne would double the home side’s lead when curling over an effort shortly after the restart, Louth then went ahead courtesy of Jackson’s clinical strike.

However, the introduction of Sean Guiden would give Dublin an extra edge up front and after levelling through Mark O’Leary the same player then fisted home following a good break by Sean Foran on 48 minutes.

Conor Murray and Liam Dunne added the second and third goals late on.

DUBLIN: Simon Murphy, Noel Hatton, Adam Fearon, Adam Rafter, Rory Dwyer, Conor O Brien, Mark Lavin 0-3(0-2f), Eoin Adamson, Ciaran McManus, Mark O’Leary 1-3, Conor Murray 1-2, Enda Cashman 0-1, Matthew Dunne 0-2, Conor Hennessy, Sean Foran 0-4. Subs: Luke Swan for McManus (ht), Josh Bannon for Hatton (43), Sean Guiden for M Dunne (43), Liam Dunne 1-0 for O’Brien (47), John Rooney for Rafter (56), Alex Watson for O’Leary 60

LOUTH: Martin McEneaney; Tom Jackson 1-0, Paul McEvoy, Nathan Buckley; Cathal Flemming, Craig Shevlin, Gabriel Bell; Connall McCaul 0-1, Joe Mee; Carl Gillespie, Ruari Hanlon, Daire Nally 0-4 (0-2f); Sean Healy, Ryan Walsh 0-1 (f), Jonathan Commins. Subs: Craig Lennon for Gillespie (17), Michael Begley 0-1 for Walsh (23), Patrick Johnson for Hanlon (40), Patrick Murtagh for McEvoy (51), Conor Quigley for Commins (56).

REFEREE: J Hickey (Carlow)