NFL DIVISION THREE: LOUTH 0-18 LONGFORD 0-12: LOUTH leap-frogged Longford in the table with an excellent second-half display in Drogheda.

After three straight defeats, Eamonn McEneaney’s side went into the game occupying a relegation spot and things seemed to be going from bad to worse when Longford retired with a 0-9 to 0-4 half- time lead.

Louth quickly set about bringing down the deficit after the interval and aided by the stiff breeze, they dominated. They finished with six unanswered points in the last 10 minutes.

LOUTH: S Reynolds; P Rath, D Finnegan, J O'Brien; P McGinnity, D Crilly, G Hoey; B White (0-5), P Keenan; A Reid, R Carroll (0-4), R Finnegan (0-2); JP Rooney (0-2), P Smith, D Clarke (0-4, one free). Subs: D Reid (0-1) for Reid (52 mins), D Maguire for Rooney (67 mins), A Hoey for Smith (67 mins).

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Brady, N Farrell, P Foy; D Masterson, E Williams, K Smith; P Reynolds, K Mulligan (0-3); P Berry (0-1), A O'Connor, G Dennigan (0-3, frees); P Barden (0-1), D Barden (0-1), B Kavanagh (0-3, frees). Subs: B Gilleran for Reynolds (10 mins, yellow), D Reilly for D Barden (48 mins), S Doyle for Farrell (53 mins), P Dowd for Berry (59 mins).

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).