McArdle hits 1-7 as U20s reach last four

KIERAN McArdle shot 1-7 as Louth set-up last night’s Leinster U20 FC semi-final with Dublin by defeating Wicklow in Darver on Tuesday.

The Wee county led by 1-6 to 0-5 at the break – ace marksman McArdle finding the net on 18 minutes – but were made to work incredibly hard by the visitors before sealing their place in the last four for the first time in 12 years.

Wicklow were in the ascendency and showing two points in front when centre-forward Aaron O’Brien received a black card on 12 minutes. During his time out of the action, Louth outscored Wicklow by 1-4 to 0-1.

With Seán Callaghan and Dara McDonnell getting a grip at midfield, and feeding dangerous full-forward Seán Reynolds, Louth took control with McArdle’s well-taken major the ideal tonic for Fergal Reel’s side, who led by four at the interval.

WITH INTENT

Though Wicklow were intent on ther restart and Louth didn’t open their second half account until 48 minutes and were guilty of some erratic shot-taking during the third quarter.

The visitors took advantage when an error by Louth goalkeeper Cian O’Donoghue resulted in substitute Joe Heathy bundling the ball into the net, putting the away side three in front.

But the Reds replied almost immediately when Pearse Grimes-Murphy cut in from the left and shot unstoppably past Adam O’Leary, making it 2-6 to 1-9.

That propelled Louth to a strong finish with McArdle in irresistible form. The St Bride’s clubman hit five points consecutively, including one free from beyond the 45-metre line, and the gap could have been greater only for O’Leary to deny Conor McGinty and Callaghan with stunning stops.

LOUTH: Cian O’Donoghue; Fionn Tipping, Cameron Maher, Keelan Martin; James Maguire, Cormac McKeown, Tadhg McDonnell; Dara McDonnell, Seán Callaghan; Liam Flynn, Kieran McArdle 1-7 (0-4f, 0-1 45), Pearse Grimes-Murphy 1-1; Aaron McGlew, Seán Reynolds 0-1, Darragh Dorian 0-2. Subs: Conor McGinty for Flynn (49), Ronan Deery for Tipping (50), DD Reilly for Dorian (54).

WICKLOW: Adam O’Leary; Chris O’Brien, Lorcan Smith, James Fleming; Adam Kinsella, James Boland 0-1, Adam Byrne; Austin Brennan, Cathal Baker 0-1; Páidí Kavanagh 0-2 (2f), Aaron O’Brien, Cian Deering 0-1; Conor Fee 0-2, Brian Hurley 0-2 (1f), Alex Kavanagh. Subs: Joe Heathy 1-0 for Kavanagh (HT), Pádraic Bermingham for A Kinsella (50), Jack Hardy for Kavanagh (54), Éanna Nolan for Deering (56).

REFEREE: A Coyne (Westmeath).