Daire McConnon of Louth celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Louth and Meath at Grattan Park in Inniskeen, Monaghan. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile.
Allianz Football League Division 2
LOUTH 1-19 MEATH 0-17
By Dan Bannon in Inniskeen
Louth, minus talisman Sam Mulroy, showed more than enough accuracy to see off neighbours Meath and secure safety in Division two for next season.
The sharp shooting first half was too much for Robbie Brennan’s side and denied Meath promotion to Division one.
The free taking duties fell to Ryan Burns and the Hunterstown Rovers man delivered.
A total of nine points from placed balls would be the difference but his two frees from beyond the arc were pivotal. The corner man would have had a hundred percent record only for the post to deny him at the death.
Louth played with greater intent in the first half with the breeze. The carrot of promotion not as severe a motivator as the fear of relegation perhaps?
The confidence surge came when Kieran McArdle hit the net in the seventh minute. An intercepted restart from Billy Hogan was pounced on by Sean Reynolds and McArdle did the rest.
Louth, with the wind at their backs, drove on and used that momentum to lead by eleven at the half time whistle, 1-13 to 0-05.
Conor Branigan came in for his injured club mate Andy McDonnell and hit two two pointers towards the end of the opening period that stretched the game beyond their rivals.
Jordan Morris was keeping Meath in touch but a flurry of wides and shots into the goalies hands allowed Louth to drift into a winning margin.
With the new rule enhancements Meath failed to apply enough two pointers from beyond the arc when chasing. Morris did land one and Keith Curtis from the bench but Louth would respond every time.
Burns' four frees pushed the game beyond the Royals in the second half and ensured another famous victory over Meath in Inniskeen.
With Morris going off with a bad injury in additional time, Louth knew they were level on points with Down on the table.
The tensions were eased in the long delayed injury time as the head to head victory in Drogheda back in February over the Mourne men would prove decisive.
Scorers for Louth: Ryan Burns 0-9 (5f, 2 2pf) Kieran McArdle 1-1, Conor Branigan 0-4 (2 2pt) Tommy Durnin 0-3 (1 2pt) Emmet Carolan and Peter Lynch 0-1 each
Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 0-8 (2pt, 2f, 1tpf), Eoghan Frayne 0-4 (2f 1tpf), Jack Flynn 0-2, Keith Curtis 0-2 (2pt), Aaron Lynch 0-1.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny, Emmet Carolan; Daire Nally, Peter Lynch, Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin, Fearghal Malone; Andy McDonnell, Ciaran Downey, Paul Mathews; Kieran McArdle, Sean Reynolds, Ryan Burns. Subs: Conor Branigan for A McDonnell (13), Dylan McKeown for Reynolds (45), Dara McDonnell for Malone (57), Liam Flynn for Downey (66).
MEATH: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Donal Keogan; Eoin Harkin, Brian O’Halloran, Ciaran Caulfield; Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton; Conor Duke, Jack Kinlough, Ruair Kinsella; Eoghan Frayne, Jordan Morris, Aaron Lynch. Subs: Matt Costello for Duke (44), Keith Curtis for Kinlough (51), Shane Walsh for Kinsella (60), Cathal Hickey for Lynch (60). Jason Scully for Harkin (68).
Ref: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
