Gaelic Games

Louth hang on to seal vital Division Two win against Limerick

With six points in a row after the break, the hosts still laboured to victory

Louth manager Mickey Harte. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Louth manager Mickey Harte. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Dan Bannon
Sun Feb 19 2023 - 18:48

National Football League Division Two: Louth 1-15 Limerick 1-13

Having played well and yet reaped no rewards in the first two rounds of the league, Louth gladly went the other way to seal two vital Division Two league points at home to Limerick at DEFY Páirc Mhúire in Ardee.

Wayward shooting and spurned goal chances was the story of Louth’s first half that saw Limerick look to seize control at the basement battle. Hugh Bourke and Colm McSweeney came into the side and sparkled early on with a brace a piece.

When Louth did break their duct, it was a fortunate rebound off the upright to cornerback Dan Corcoran for his first ever goal in red. Ray Dempsey’s side kept their focus as Mickey Harte’s outfit struggled for theirs.

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McSweeney and Gordon Brown looked to have given the visitors a deserved half time lead but Sam Mulroy lurched Louth back level on the stroke of half time to make it 1-6 to 0-9.

With six points in a row after the break, Mulroy with three of those, and Dáire McConnon with two of his vital three second half points, the hosts still laboured to victory.

After 20 second-half minutes James Naughton and a Brian Donovan goal eventually got the visitors up and running but Louth would hang on, just, for their first win of the season.

Louth: P McStravick; D Corcoran (1-0), P Lynch (0-1), D McKenny; C McKeever, N Sharkey (0-1), L Grey; C Early, C Murphy; A Williams, C Downey (0-1), T Jackson (0-1); C Grimes, S Mulroy (0-6, 5frees), D McConnon (0-3).

Subs: C Lennon for Williams (ht); T Durnin (0-1) for Early (61); C McCaul (0-1) for Downey (70); B Duffy for McKeever (74).

Limerick: D O’Sullivan; S O’Dea, B Fanning, D Connolly; I Corbett (0-1), C Fahy, T McCarthy; C McSweeney (0-2), C Downes (0-1); A Enright (0-1), G Brown (0-1), C Sheehan (0-1); P Maher; J Naughton (0-3 frees), H Bourke (0-2). Subs: P Nash (0-1) for Maher (ht); B Donovan (1-0) for Enright (44); K Ryan for Brown (55); M Donovan for Connolly (60); J Liston for Downes (71).

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)