Louth LGFA fall to narrow Laois defeat

Laois' hopes of survival in Division Three of the Lidl National Football League were dashed despite a valiant 0:9 to 0:8 win over Louth at Drogheda on Sunday. 

Stephen Duff’s charges needed to beat the already promoted top of the table side and hope that Clare lost to Roscommon.

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But it was not to be as Roscommon and Clare drew 2:9 each, leaving Laois and Roscommon level on seven points. Unfortunately for Laois, the team’s head-to-head record sealed their fate.

The game itself was played in challenging conditions, with a strong cross-field breeze making life difficult for both teams. Louth started brightly, with Breen and Russell causing problems for the Laois backline.

The Reds led by 0:4 to 0:1 after twenty minutes, with defenders Shannon McLaughlin and Amy Murray on target with brilliant efforts after Aine Breen had opened the scoring after four minutes.

Louth’s lead could have been greater had Breen’s efforts not hit the woodwork.

However, Laois gradually grew into the game and levelled when the outstanding Emily Lacey landed three well-taken points in as many minutes to leave it 0-4 apiece after an entertaining opening half.

The point trading continued in the second half with both sides adding points as the game was end-to-end, with chances for both sides, including a fine save by Laois keeper Eimear Barry to deny Laura Collins.

Louth went ahead again following Aoife Halligan’s well-worked point, but Laois hit the post and then levelled from a long-range Aoibhe Byron strike.

Louth then had another goal-scoring opportunity when Eimear Byrne was through on goal, only to lose her footing at the crucial moment. 

Taking advantage of this let off, Laois broke upfield and were awarded a free deep into injury time, which was converted by St. Conleth’s star, Byron, to snatch a narrow victory.

However, the win wasn’t enough to save the 2022 All-Ireland Intermediate Champions from relegation to Division Four as Roscommon’s draw with Clare had sealed their fate.

Despite this loss, Louth manager Kevin Larkin will be delighted with the campaign.

He has introduced quite a number of newcomers into the panel, who have proven they belong at this level and can now turn their attention to the glamour league final against Antrim on April 12 in a repeat of last year’s Junior Football Championship final, with  promotion to Division Two guaranteed 

Scorers Laois: Emily Lacey 0-7, Fiona Dooley 0-1, Aoibhe Byron

Scorers Louth: Laura Lynch 0-1, Amy Murray 0-1, Aine Breen 0-1, Eimear Byrne 0-2, Shannen McLaughlin 0-1, Aoife Russell 0-1, Aoife Halligan 0-1

Laois: Eimear Barry; Sinead Farrelly, Faye McEvoy, Mary Cotter; Aoife Gorman, Aisling Saunders, Andrea Moran; Fiona Dooley, Anna Healy; Shifra Havill, Lauren Kearney, Sarah Larkin; Ellen O’Byrne, Katie Donoghue, Kelly O’Neill

Louth: Rebecca Lambe-Fagan; Moyà Corrigan, Eilish Hand,  Rachel Beirth, Amy Murray, Shannon McLaughlin, Naoise McConnon,  Emma Thompson, Aine Breen; Lucy White, Ciera Nolan, Eimear Callaghan, Eimear Byrne, Laura Collins, Aoife Russell.

Subs: Aoife Halligan, Maebh Hickey, Sophie Stitt, Maggie Holland 

Referee: Ian Culbert (Wicklow).