Louth maintain strong start to the season with win over Wicklow

Louth 1-19, Wicklow 1-14: Favourites Louth maintained their strong start to the season with a five-point defeat of Wicklow to secure a Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with neighbours Meath.

Louth maintain strong start to the season with win over Wicklow

Favourites Louth maintained their strong start to the season with a five-point defeat of Wicklow to secure a Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with neighbours Meath, writes Paul Keane.

Colin Kelly's side claimed a surprise promotion to Division 2 of the Allianz league during spring and backed it up with a Parnell Park win that owed everything to four late points without reply.

It's the eighth time in the last 10 years that Louth have cleared their first hurdle in Leinster and they will be confident of giving their Royal County rivals a huge game on June 4.

Wicklow still haven't won a Championship game of any sort since 2014 though and boss Johnny Magee will head into the qualifiers next month seeking his first win in charge.

But the underdogs gave it their all and were just a point behind with 66 minutes on the clock in an entertaining, end to end encounter.

Louth points from Gerard McSorley, Jim McEneaney, Declan Byrne - all substitutes - and Bevan Duffy ultimately eased the Wee County over the winning line.

McEneaney had a big impact with two points in the last 15 minutes though Eoin O'Connor was terrific throughout, scoring 1-2 and moving effectively between midfield and full-forward.

It was his terrific block that denied Wicklow a levelling point in the 68th minute and instead set up McEneaney for a point that put Louth 1-16 to 1-14 ahead.

O'Connor scored his 1-2 in the first-half and his 11th minute goal came on the back of the industry of Anthony Williams who accepted a ball over the top and passed it across to O'Connor to palm in.

But Williams' afternoon ended soon after when he was black carded for hauling down Dean Healy at the other end.

It coincided with a period of Wicklow dominance and 1-3 without reply from Magee's men, including a well taken Mark Kenny goal, to put the Division 4 side 1-4 to 1-2 up.

Louth finished the half strong though and a succession of scores from the likes of free-taker Burns, Paraic Smith, O'Connor and Padraig Rath nudged them 1-11 to 1-7 clear at the interval.

It looked as if Louth would push on in the third quarter though were reeled in as Wicklow outscored them 0-5 to 0-1 in the first 16 minutes after the restart.

That tied the scores up at 1-12 apiece and Wicklow battled on gamely to be just a point back with four minutes of normal time remaining.

They picked off some fine scores from the likes of Seanie Furlong, goalscorer Kenny and sub John McGrath.

But Louth, who led 1-15 to 1-14 after 66 minutes, got a strong kick from the bench. The north Leinster outfit scored the last four points of the game to rack up an impressive 1-19 overall despite tagging 11 second-half wides.

Scorers for Louth: R. Burns (0-6, 5 frees); E. O'Connor (1-2); P. Smith, J McEneaney, D. Byrne (0-2 each); R. Moore, C. McKeever, P. Rath, G. McSorley, B Duffy (0-1 each)

Scorers for Wicklow: M. Kenny (1-1); S. Furlong (0-4, 3 frees); P. Cunningham (0-3, 1 free); J. McGrath, D. Hayden, D. Boothman, C. Ffrench, D. Healy, R, Lambert (1 free), (0-1 each).

LOUTH: C. Lynch; P. Rath (c), P. Reilly, K. Carr; C. McKeever, J. Bingham, A. Williams; T. Durnin, J. Stewart; D. Marks, P. Smith, B. Duffy; R. Moore, E. O'Connor, R. Burns.

Subs: D. McMahon for Williams (14, black card); J. McEneaney for McKeever (47); D. Byrne for Moore (51); S. Mulroy for Burns (55); G. McSorley for Smith (55), K. Murphy for Marks (73).

WICKLOW: R. Lambert; C. Hyland, S. Kelly (c), B. Kennedy; J. Crowe, P. McLoughlin, D. Fitzgerald; D. Boothman, N. Gaffney; C. Ffrench, D. Healy, D. Hayden; M. Kenny, S. Furlong, P. Cunningham.

Subs: J. McGrath for Cunningham (60); A. McLoughlin for Boothman (60); P. Traynor for P McLoughlin (63); R. Finn for Kenny (70).

Referee: N. Cullen (Fermanagh).

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